Evergo EV Link Up… 5 years strong

Things remain strong for Evergo EV Link Up as the event celebrated its fifth anniversary on Saturday, September 5 at Police Officers’ Club in St Andrew. “I can’t believe it is five years already, but what I’ve recognised in those five years is the transformation. We only had plug-in hybrid at that first event and grey market EVs [electric vehicles]. Today, in our convoy, we had 22 vehicles, and within those 22 we had 11 different models of EVs,” Dr Wayne McKenzie, president and CEO, Evergo, told the Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto magazine. That increase in options and variety was instantly reflected at the event as the automotive vendors displayed their wide model range. On hand for attendees was the ATL Automotive Group, representing BYD, BMW, MINI, Audi, Kia, Porsche, and Jaecoo.

Andrew Jackson, CEO, Jetcon, with the BAIC Arcfox T1 EV (Photo: Rory Daley)

The Chinese brands were heavily represented, as Flash Motors was on hand with their Geely brand, as was Fidelity with GAC. There were a few new faces, as Jetcon showed off their BAIC Arcfox EV models, and Affinity Motors had the JMEV ELIGHT on display at the Evergo booth.

Dr Wayne McKenzie, president and CEO, Evergo (Photo: Rory Daley)

“We at Jetcon have always believed that EVs were the future. With all the energy crises we have had over the decades, the combination of EV and solar is good for Jamaica. So we started with used EVs, and that didn’t do very well. Now, we’re into brand new EVs with the Arcfox, and so far the response to them has been awesome,” explained Andrew Jackson, CEO, Jetcon. McKenzie indicated that he has been impressed not just by the range of models, but by the pricing that has seen many EVs now costing below their combustion equivalents. This, along with the increase in range, were both initial concerns from the buying public.

Fidelity Motors entered the EV and hybrid segment with the introduction of the GAC S7, AION V, and the Nissan X-Trail e-POWER. (Photo: Rory Daley)

“We have so many dealers, not just the legacy dealers, popping up and bringing in very good EVs at affordable prices, because initially that was what everyone was talking about... But now you have cars that are competing with ICE models that are one-third or 50 per cent of the price. And then you compare the range,” he said. Along with the ever-increasing adoption of EVs by the Jamaican automotive public, McKenzie sees Evergo’s role as more than just a charging network, but one of environmental and economic impact, serving to reduce the island’s carbon footprint and its reliance on fossil fuels.

The ATL Automotive Group was in attendance at EV Link Up 2026, displaying their wide range of electric and hybrid vehicles, including some of their more premium models from BMW and MINI. (Photo: Rory Daley)

“Evergo is contributing to the decarbonisation of Jamaica. It’s contributing to the energy transition of Jamaica, and we’re not just a partner to the Government of Jamaica, but to its people as well,” he said. McKenzie further added that the transition from educating Jamaicans on e-mobility has moved on to one of explosive growth due to natural consumer interest. “When you look at the crowd, how big it has become, this is going to be a legacy event,” said McKenzie. — Rory Daley