The six electric scooters run by electricity replacing diesel and petrol and now zooming away on public roads is the beginning of things to come for Samoa.
The Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi is fully aware of what government needs to do.
The electric scooters donated to the Land Transport Authority and funded by a grant of $130,000 tala by the Governments of Austria and Italy, is a forewarning to Samoa to be prepared for what’s to come, added the Prime Minister.
In his weekly program with the Talamua.com hosted by Apulu Famunina Lanselotu Polu , the Prime Minister says that some countries have set 2020 while other 2030 as a deadline to convert to electric vehicles in their respective countries.
Other countries have also set similar deadlines for hybrid vehicles only, added Tuilaepa.
The electrical and hybrid vehicles are environmentally friendly, the Prime Minister noted that it is also very expensive with a price tag of 200-thousand tala per hybrid car.
The Prime Minister says that he is not blinded to the looming change and told Talamua.com that he has shared his thoughts with his Revenue Minister on how best to address the importation of hybrid and electrical cars in the coming years.
One option which the Prime Minister is eyeing is a range of duty concessions to encourage car dealership to import the new brand vehicles.
The Prime Minister says it is not an urgent issue and Samoa will have little say in the matter but to follow suit if other countries proceed with the change to electrical and hybrid vehicles.
Photo supplied by Government of Samoa Facebook