Lebanon is launching its first electric car, but skeptics say subsidized power will count for little in a flat economy reliant on fossil fuels.
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Designed by Lebanon's EV Electra, the coupe-style 'Rise' is the country's first foray into the electric car market, a fast-growing sector that promises to lower planet-warming emissions.
Costing $30,000, the Rise reaches 180 km (around 112 miles) an hour and goes on sale in Lebanon and Europe in late 2021, pending certification.
Lebanon's economy is in crisis, with just 62 new cars sold in the first two months of 2021, against 1,876 in the same period last year, according to local consultancy Information International.
The car's green impact is also set to be diluted in a country reliant on fossil fuels for electricity, while frequent power outages do not bode well for reliability.
