Spanning from May 10th to 14th, the Beirut Forum is hosting the e-MotorShow, an important showcase of electric vehicles in the Middle East. A lot has occurred in Lebanon since the event’s previous edition in 2019! Crippled by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that has hit the country, the Lebanese automotive sector is in dire straits. Sales of new vehicles have plummeted by over 80% in just three years.
To recover, manufacturers and importers are now betting on electric vehicles. These new models, that combine eco-friendly and wallet-friendly attributes, seem to be striking a chord, given the expected turnout of 500,000 visitors at the show. However, behind the excitement surrounding these innovations lies a bitter reality. Currently, Lebanon lacks the necessary technical and energy infrastructures to handle a large-scale shift towards these so-called carbon-free vehicles.
