[Starlink] geo-engineering...

[Daniel AJ Sokolov]

On 2023-07-19 at 23:53, Loganaden Velvindron via Starlink wrote:
> Yes. We have similar issues in Mauritius. We are also a small country. We
> have too many ICE cars on the road. However, we saw an increase in
> hybrid/EV purchases in 2022 and the number is growing for 2023.

Mauritius has a long history of massive import duties on ICE vehicles. 
100% duty, plus 15% VAT. Plus the significant cost of shipping the 
vehicle to the island far out in the Indian Ocean.

And still traffic is challenging. That tells you something about the 
allure of the car.

However, because the way roads and traffic are, you really want a small 
car, not a large one, in Mauritius.

(It is the only country I have been to where they have a divided 
highway, but then they use one lane on the "wrong" side to add capacity 
during rush hour. No traffic lights above the lane to indicate that. 
Locals just know.)

When I visited the most recent time, in 2018, it cost me more to rent a 
tiny car (without CDW insurance) for a week than to rent a large house 
with garden for a week - and that house was not in a tourist hotspot at 
all (Surinam, MU, if you want to know).

To wit, I don't think we can extrapolate experiences from Mauritius to 
other developing countries.

>I'm not a
> Nissan fan, but the Nissan Leaf is the most affordable one.

Yes, I can see that being a great vehicle for Mauritius. But the Leaf is 
being discontinued, because Nissan is making a loss with every one they 
sell. Unsustainable.

Cheers
Daniel