Chile has become a benchmark for electromobility in the region.
The numbers speak for themselves and place the Latin American country in a privileged position.
“A robust ecosystem is necessary, built on various pillars: public and private charging infrastructure, development of the electrical grid capable of supporting the demand for electric vehicles, and access to financing,” states Luis Felipe Ramos, the Deputy Minister of Energy.
The vehicle fleet has increased significantly in recent times. Chile has 8,454 electric vehicles on the streets – data as of the end of 2023 – representing an increase of 72.64 per cent compared to the previous year.
For example, according to data from the monthly report of the National Automotive Association of Chile (ANAC), there was a record sale of electric vehicles in March.
A total of 325 units were sold, compared to 87 in February and 53 in January.
The recovery was also reflected in the category of plug-in hybrid vehicles, with 103 units sold.
Regarding zero-emission buses – the country’s greatest strength – there are currently 2,400 units in circulation out of a total fleet of 6,000.
Santiago thus becomes the city with the highest number of electric buses in proportion outside of China.
Regarding charging infrastructure, the deployment reaches 125 communes, but it is still lacking in another 221.
“The distribution of chargers is concentrated in the Metropolitan region. If we want electromobility to reach the entire country, we need to ensure that this growth is more evenly distributed throughout the territory,” Ramos suggests.
Breaking it down, the Metropolitan region accounts for 75.4 per cent of the country’s total chargers (673), followed by ValparaÃso with 4.7 per cent (42), and the third place is for Los Lagos with 2.8 per cent (25).
The historical percentage increase in the number of chargers occurred between 2022 and 2023, registering 74.8 per cent.
And so far this year – data as of April 22 provided by ANAC – it has grown by 19.3 per cent.
Likewise, Ramos explains that permits for electric and hybrid vehicles with external charging are concentrated in the same area: the Metropolitan region leads with 13,179 permits, representing 86.3 per cent of the total.
Electric trucks and buses are also included.
It is worth remembering that the exemption from payment of the circulation permit for electric vehicles was part of the law to promote electromobility, following the launch of the Strategy in 2021.
And in August 2023, the Minister of Energy, Diego Pardow; the Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Juan Carlos Muñoz; and the Minister of Environment, Maisa Rojas, presented President Gabriel Boric with the Roadmap for the Advancement of Electromobility in Antofagasta to promote the widespread use of this technology domestically.
The Pending Axes of the Roadmap
The Roadmap has three distinct axes: the development of the Master Plan for Public Charging Infrastructure, enabling interoperability, and modifying the Technical Regulatory Specification RIC 15.
“By November, we expect to have developed a platform that provides us with all the information on charging infrastructure and also regarding its interoperability,” emphasizes Ramos.
It was the Superintendent of Electricity and Fuels, Marta Cabeza, who confirmed the news last March.
Regarding regulatory matters, Ramos insists that some changes will be necessary: the transformation from combustion vehicles to electric vehicles or enabling charging infrastructure in buildings, as well as aspects related to micromobility.
“With respect to new job profiles, we will soon be working on the transformation from combustion vehicles to electric vehicles, opening up an opportunity for technical and professional development,” asserts the official.
