How Have Funeral Services in Havana Transformed with the Introduction of Electric Vehicles?

Just over half a year since the Cuban government introduced 15 electric hearses to Havana's funeral services, the state-controlled publication Cubadebate released a report combining factual data with its usual optimistic rhetoric. However, it also subtly highlights the inherent limitations of a measure that has not extended beyond the capital.

According to the state-run outlet's report, the Foton-branded vehicles, managed by the state-owned microenterprise ServiAxess, clocked over 104,000 kilometers across the city by April 27. They participated in more than 4,600 funerals and 814 cremations, resulting in fuel savings equivalent to approximately 15,000 liters.

The vehicles began service on December 27, 2025, offering free transportation for the public, funded by the State budget. They primarily recharge via solar panels installed at their parking base, with backup support from the National Power System and an emergency generator.

Initial Challenges and Operational Improvements

Diosdado Martín Moret, head of ServiAxess, acknowledged that initially, four vehicles faced electrical issues due to battery depletion during their shipment from China, though the problem was swiftly resolved.

José Mujica Góngora, director of Havana's Necrological Services, described the changes as "remarkable," explaining the previous disorder: "It was challenging to adhere to schedules because a single vehicle had to handle three core tasks: collecting from hospitals and care centers, transporting to crematoriums, and conducting burials across the city's cemeteries."

Enhanced Service Efficiency

Now, the fleet is dedicated solely to funeral services, enhancing punctuality. ServiAxess handles 90% of daily operations, with the remaining 10% managed by Havana's Necrological Services Company. María Esther Adán, who coordinates the Santiago de las Vegas funeral home with 18 years of experience, encapsulated the improvement by noting, "Often, the vehicle is here half an hour before departure for the burial."

Challenges Beyond Havana

Nonetheless, the broader context that the official narrative omits remains critical. Outside Havana, the funeral crisis persists unresolved: in 2025, Camagüey had only one operational hearse for the entire city; in Ciego de Ávila, just eight out of 19 vehicles were functional by February of that year. In Holguín, a family had to improvise a cardboard coffin in February 2026, and in Santiago de Cuba, a coffin was transported in a livestock truck due to a lack of hearses.

The energy situation exacerbates the issue: with power outages lasting up to 18-20 hours daily and actual electricity availability between 35-45% in 2026, the shift to solar-powered electric vehicles is more feasible for Havana but fails to address the nationwide collapse. Citizens on social media have criticized the state-run microenterprise model managing the new hearses, labeling it as a "covert privatization" benefiting those close to power.

Even Cubadebate acknowledges at the end of its piece that the funeral crisis outside the capital is "severely impacted not just by fuel shortages, but also by a lack of vehicles," and expanding the model would be a "natural and necessary step" — an implicit admission that 15 vehicles in Havana are merely a band-aid on a system broken for decades.