The University of the West Indies (UWI) has inaugurated a cutting-edge electric mobility research facility at its Mona campus in Jamaica, positioning the institution as a regional leader in sustainable transportation innovation. This strategic initiative represents a significant advancement in the Caribbean’s transition toward carbon-free transportation systems.
The newly established laboratory will serve as a hub for developing electrification solutions across various transportation modes while simultaneously supporting specialized training programs and research initiatives. Dr. Louis Harris, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physics at UWI Mona, emphasized that the facility will provide hands-on experiential learning not only for students within relevant departments but also for faculty members and the broader campus community.
This ambitious project transcends conventional undergraduate education, with the university actively pursuing external partnerships to maximize societal impact. The laboratory emerged through a multilateral collaboration involving UWI’s Department of Physics, the JPS Foundation, and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, with funding administered through the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
The JPS Foundation contributed $75,000 in funding through its partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank’s eDrive program. Lisandra Rickards, Senior Private Sector Development Consultant at IDB Lab, characterized the facility as a natural extension of Project e-Drive’s vision, providing dedicated space for experimentation, skill development, and collaborative innovation.
Professor Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, highlighted that the laboratory represents structured capacity-building across the entire regional science ecosystem. He noted that this infrastructure is essential for supporting the Caribbean’s transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient transportation and energy systems.
The initiative reflects deepening international cooperation, particularly between Jamaica and Germany. Ambassador Jan Hendrik van Thiel of the Federal Republic of Germany emphasized the importance of combining theoretical knowledge with practical application, noting that UWI has become a vital partner in academic and professional training collaborations.
This project operates within the framework of a grant agreement signed with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in July 2023, supported by funding exceeding €1 million from the International Climate Initiative. Since 2023, the university has executed several related initiatives, including developing specialized university courses, creating e-mobility curricula for teacher training, and conducting electric vehicle technology training programs across multiple Caribbean nations.