The adoption of electric vehicles in Uruguay shows no signs of slowing down. On the contrary, each year the number of sales increases — for both 100% battery electric vehicles and hybrids.
Statistics compiled by the Automotive Trade Association of Uruguay (ACAU) show that both technologies continue to gain trust among users in the country.
It is worth noting that the organisation does not differentiate between various levels of hybridisation (HEV, PHEV, or MHEV), so the figures under “hybrids” encompass all of these.
An analysis by Mobility Portal Latinoamérica delves into the details of Uruguay’s clean energy vehicle fleet.
Electric vehicles grew significantly across all segments, particularly SUVs.
Meanwhile, hybrids experienced moderate growth, except for a sharp decline in light commercial vehicles:
• 100% electric vehicles: 704 units sold in Q1 2024 → 2,157 by March 2025, representing an increase of 206.4% over the period.
• Hybrids (all types): 1,056 → 1,199 this year, resulting in a +13.5% increase when comparing the two quarters.
The most popular electric vehicle models
Looking at the Top Ten battery electric vehicles (BEVs), the figures show that in March 2024, the best-selling models were:
• BYD SEAGULL GS 2024
• BYD NEW E2 GS
• BYD T3 GL
• BYD SEAGULL GL 2024
• BYD YUAN PLUS GS
• JAC E-S1
• MG4 EV DLX 4WD
• BMW IX3 M SPORT INSPIRING
• NISSAN X-TRAIL E-POWER ADVANCE
• BYD NEW E2 GS PLUS
Just one year later, another electric model from Chinese giant BYD takes the lead, pushing the Seagull — one of the cheapest EVs on the market — to second place:
• BYD YUAN PRO EV GS
• BYD SEAGULL GS 2024
• BYD NEW E2 GS
• DONGFENG NAMMI 430
• BYD SEAGULL GL 2024
• DONGFENG NAMMI 330
• GEELY GEOMETRY E
• JMC JMEV EV3
• BYD T3 GL
• CHERY EQ7 ELECTRICO
It is worth noting that the surprise here is that BYD lost one of the six spots it held in the Top 10 during Q1 2024.
Its YUAN PLUS GS and NEW E2 GS PLUS models no longer appear on the list, but the arrival of the YUAN PRO EV GS straight to first place reaffirms BYD’s dominant position in Uruguay’s EV market.
Latest overall vehicle sales figures
Additionally, ACAU data from March 2025 shows that a total of 5,989 vehicles — including electric, hybrid and internal combustion — were sold, marking a 25% increase over March 2024, while February saw 5,761 vehicles sold.
Breaking it down by segment, last month saw the sale of 2,360 light vehicles, 1,896 SUVs, 22 minibuses, 1,493 light commercial vehicles, 200 trucks and 18 buses, with the passenger car category experiencing the largest variation, with 281 more units sold compared to February.
As for brands, Chevrolet ranked as the top-selling passenger car brand, followed by Hyundai and Suzuki.
The best-selling car was the Chevrolet Onix, with 391 units, followed by the Hyundai Novo with 224 units.
Rise in BEVs encourages arrival of new electric models
Year-over-year variation in EV sales during Q1. (Graphic: MP)
In light of the sustained increase in BEV sales, Xiaomi — which made its debut as an automaker last year — is set to bring its first vehicle to Uruguay during 2025.
The model is the SU7, an electric vehicle that marks the company’s entry into the automotive world. According to the company, the car is currently undergoing homologation and has already been confirmed for the Uruguayan market.
Although no official launch date has been announced, it is known that the vehicle will initially be released in three different configurations: basic, mid-range, and top-tier.
The SU7 will not be sold in Xiaomi’s existing retail stores due to space constraints, as the company primarily focuses on products like smartphones and tablets.
