Cuba’s Fuel Crisis Strains Vintage Taxi Industry

Cuba is facing a growing fuel shortage that is severely impacting the island’s famous vintage cars, known as “almendrones.” These classic American cars serve as shared taxis and symbolize Cuba’s creativity and resilience. The scarcity of fuel has left many of these gas-guzzling vehicles unused since January, as Cuban officials attribute the crisis to a U.S. energy blockade. Drivers now face lengthy waits at gas stations, desperate for gasoline.

Diriel Valdez, living in Las Minas near Havana, exemplifies the crisis. He is in the process of restoring a 1951 Chevrolet Deluxe. Despite the car’s functional engine, acquiring fuel has become a significant challenge. Valdez relies on a government app for fuel reservations. According to him, the app is a glaring representation of the shortages it aims to manage. “I signed up in February,” Valdez shared. “I’m still around number 2,800 on the waiting list.” His reward after this wait would be a mere 20 liters (5.3 gallons) of fuel, just enough for a trip to the beach.

Almendrones: A Legacy of Improvisation

The term almendrón stems from the Spanish word for almond, capturing the rounded design of these large American sedans imported before the 1959 revolution. Cubans, over decades, have become adept at modifying these vehicles. They replaced engines, restored bodies, and sourced parts creatively.

On a recent evening, amid a blackout in Havana, taxi driver Leonardo Daniel González navigated a friend’s bright purple 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster through the dark city streets. “These cars are family heirlooms,” said González. “I inherited one from my great-grandfather, which continued to my grandfather, my father, and now me.”

The Strain of Fuel Shortages

Cuba’s current energy crisis ranks among the worst in recent years. Cubans endure daily blackouts lasting up to 20 hours in some areas. The island produces about 40% of its fuel needs, depending on imports for the rest to power plants and vehicles.

Since January, tensions have mounted with the Trump administration tightening sanctions and threatening tariffs on nations supplying oil to Cuba. Only one Russian tanker has managed to deliver oil. Valdez, maintaining his family’s auto body shop, finds his livelihood squeezed by the fuel crisis. “Major repairs are rare now,” he noted. “People park their cars without hope they’ll run as before.”

Persisting with Vintage Vehicles

With gasoline scarce, drivers turn to the black market where prices soar to $8 per liter ($30 per gallon). Former economist Omar Everleny Pérez highlighted that Cuba’s transport still heavily relies on almendrones. Modern vehicles remain unattainable for most Cubans.

Although newer vehicles became available, their prices are far beyond the reach of state workers, sustaining the reliance on aging American cars. Meanwhile, electric motorcycles from China and small electric cars gain popularity. The Cuban government promotes a solar-powered charging network, aligning with its renewable energy goals.

In Havana, González remains reluctant to give up on almendrones. Despite the fuel crisis and reduced tourism, he sustains a living from his old Chevrolet. “We use WhatsApp groups to find rides,” González explained. “But Cuba’s tourism is struggling.”

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