The Virgin Islands Energy Office (VIEO) has finalized a major subgrant agreement with Metro Motors VI that will not only bring domestic electric vehicle (EV) sales to the U.S. Virgin Islands through a manufacturer-affiliated dealer, but also establish dedicated EV service centers and charging infrastructure in both districts.
Effective August 1, the agreement enables VIEO to reimburse Metro Motors VI for the purchase of EV servicing tools and the installation of Level III DC fast chargers on both St. Croix and St. Thomas. The contract also commits Metro Motors VI to feature popular EV models on their showroom floors in both districts—an important step toward normalizing EV ownership across the territory.
Under the deal, both government and private-sector EVs affiliated with Metro Motors VI will have local access to advanced service capabilities—solving one of the most significant barriers to EV adoption in the territory.
“One year ago this week, VIEO hosted the territory’s first ever EV summit, which highlighted how the Energy Office was going to leverage federal funding to create a sustainable EV ecosystem in the Virgin Islands,” said VIEO Director Kyle Fleming. “This partnership with Metro Motors VI represents one of the most significant milestones we’ve achieved towards that goal, and ensures that EV owners can feel confident that they will be able to depend on their vehicles over their useful life.”
Director Fleming credited the leadership of Governor Albert Bryan Jr. and the longstanding legislative support for renewable energy in the territory as key enablers of this milestone. Federal funding under the U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program—made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—was used to support the subgrant.
VIEO’s broader strategy is anchored by the Government Operations Fleet Efficiency and Electrification Transformation (GO FLEET) initiative. That program has already facilitated the procurement of dozens of EVs for government use—vehicles that have helped reduce emissions, cut fuel costs, and demonstrate the practicality of EVs in the territory’s diverse terrain. At the same time, these vehicles have helped educate the public on the capabilities of electric transportation.
Infrastructure deployment is another key front in VIEO’s strategy. Over the 2024 holiday season, the agency and its partners installed eight pedestal-mounted Level II EV chargers across St. Croix, including one at the Christian “Shan” Hendricks Vegetable Market in Christiansted. A second round of installations began in July in St. Thomas, with six chargers under construction at the Fort Christian Parking Lot. A total of 16 public-facing chargers are included in this buildout. The Siemens VersiCharge pedestals each support two chargers and are currently free to use, thanks to grant funding from the Department of the Interior’s Energizing Insular Communities program. Chargers for the St. Thomas and St. John district are expected to be fully commissioned within six to eight weeks.
While the cost of EVs continues to trend downward, the price difference between battery-powered and conventional vehicles remains a hurdle. To ease the transition, VIEO is administering the Electric Mobility Program, which offers rebates of up to $5,000 for eligible EVs upon registration with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The agency is also encouraging residents to take advantage of federal tax credits worth up to $7,500 for new EVs and $4,000 for used EVs, which expire after September 30.
Metro Motors VI currently employs one certified EV technician, but that is expected to change soon. Thanks to a partnership between the Virgin Islands Department of Education and the Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC), a new EV Maintenance and Repair course was launched in the 2024–2025 academic year. Taught by ASE Master Technician Christopher Smith, the program enrolled four students, who in their first semester completed a fully functional Switch EV kit car from scratch as a capstone project. In the second semester, students will work on a commercial EV and prepare for the ASE Light Duty Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Specialist (L3) certification exam—the gold standard in EV technician credentials.
The VIEO-Metro Motors VI agreement, backed by federal and local cooperation, aims to remove logistical and economic barriers to EV ownership and make electrified transportation a viable, reliable option throughout the Virgin Islands.
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