World Electric Vehicle Day: Mexico Celebrates a Historic Semester With 22% Growth in Electrified Vehicle Sales

Today, September 9, marks World Electric Vehicle Day, and Mexico reaches this commemoration amid unprecedented growth for electromobility.

The country has experienced an accelerated transformation during the first half of 2026, with figures that solidify it as one of the driving forces behind the energy transition in the region.

According to the Electromobility Barometer of the Electro Movilidad Asociación (EMA) , sales of battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV), and range-extended electric vehicles (REEV) reached an all-time high of 53,430 units during the first half of 2026, representing a 22% increase compared to the same period in 2025.

In the fully electric vehicle segment, 22,236 units were sold—a 14% annual increase—while plug-in hybrids added 31,063 units, a 29% jump.

From January to July 2026, the numbers are even more striking: 112,313 electrified vehicles were sold out of a total of 885,353 light vehicles marketed in the country, meaning electrified vehicles now capture 12.7% of Mexico’s total light-vehicle market.

Of that volume, 77,012 were conventional hybrids, 18,696 were plug-in hybrids, and 16,605 were fully electric vehicles. Plug-in hybrids recorded the steepest growth, with a 222.4% surge compared to the same period in 2025.

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Latin America Accelerates: More Than 837,000 Electric Vehicles in Circulation

Mexico‘s performance was not an isolated case but rather part of a widespread advance across Latin America.

According to the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLADE), the region reached 837,014 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in use during the first quarter of 2026 and could exceed one million before the end of the year.

During the first three months of the year, 106,765 new electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles were sold across the region.

Brazil leads the region with 473,362 light electric vehicles—more than half of the regional total—followed by Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, and Costa Rica.

However, in per-capita adoption, Uruguay ranks first, ahead of Costa Rica, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Argentina multiplied its sales twentyfold compared to the same period last year, Ecuador nearly quadrupled them, and Colombia and Uruguay recorded increases close to 300%.

The organization highlighted that “electric mobility has ceased to be an emerging trend and has established itself as a growing reality.” The electric vehicles and buses currently in circulation generate annual savings of $1.157 billion compared to the use of traditional fuels—equivalent to avoiding the consumption of approximately 890 million liters of gasoline and 340 million liters of diesel each year.

Charging Infrastructure: 60,934 Connections and Sustained Growth

The surge in sales has been accompanied by a significant expansion of charging infrastructure.

Mexico closed the first half of 2026 with 60,934 connections intended for electric vehicle charging, a 17.5% increase compared to the 51,860 recorded one year earlier.

According to the EMA Electromobility Barometer, public infrastructure reached 4,655 charging positions, a 45% increase compared to the end of the first half of 2025.

Of the total public points, 3,061 operate on alternating current and 1,592 on direct current, meaning approximately one in three public points already corresponds to fast charging.

Mexico also has 458 public locations equipped with DC chargers—critical infrastructure for reducing wait times and expanding the viability of intercity travel.

In the private sphere—which includes homes, corporate sites, and auto dealerships—the infrastructure reached 56,279 connections, representing 92.3% of the national capacity. Domestic and residential AC chargers account for 80% of this segment (45,238 connectors), reflecting that users prioritize overnight charging at home.

Dependence on Chinese Imports: A Structural Challenge

Despite the rapid growth, the Mexican market faces a structural challenge: heavy reliance on imports.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) , 85% of electric cars sold in Mexico during 2025 were imported from China, compared to just over 60% one year earlier.

BYD already accounts for nearly seven out of every ten electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in the country. During the first five months of 2026, 77,702 electric vehicles were sold in Mexico. The Chinese brand has become one of BYD’s two most important foreign markets, alongside Brazil.

This dominance of Chinese manufacturers raises questions about Mexico’s ability to develop a domestic electromobility industry and reduce its reliance on foreign markets.

National production of electrified vehicles has shown a notable slowdown: Toyota, General Motors, and Ford assembled 47,411 electric vehicles during the first half of 2026, compared to 110,002 units produced by the three brands during the same period the previous year.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Transition

The growth in sales stands in stark contrast to the structural challenges the country still faces. Among the main obstacles identified by specialists is the dependence on strategic components from Asia, such as batteries, semiconductors, power electronics, and thermal management systems.

Eugenio Grandio, president of EMA, highlighted the strength of the Mexican market: “Mexico already has interested consumers, companies that invest, and a growing infrastructure. The next step is to generate the conditions that allow the country to lead the growth of these technologies, strengthen national manufacturing, and prepare the sector for the global changes that are already transforming the worldwide automotive industry.”

Sarahí Ramírez, Customer Success Manager at MUNDI, pointed out that “electromobility opens a door for Mexico to capture a greater share of the value generated by the transformation of the automotive industry.”

Elisa Crespo, president of the Metropolitan Automotive Cluster, emphasized that the transition requires new professional profiles, training, technological capabilities, and digital and energy infrastructure.

The country has demonstrated that the transition to electric mobility is possible and is already underway. With an accumulated fleet of 263,928 electrified vehicles as of June 2026, a charging network exceeding 60,000 connections, and sustained sales growth, Mexico is positioning itself as a key player in Latin American and global electromobility.

However, to consolidate this progress and become a regional leader, Mexico will need to overcome the structural challenges that still hinder mass adoption: import dependence, the strengthening of national manufacturing, the expansion of public charging infrastructure, and accessible financing for consumers.

As Grandio stated: “It’s about making decisions with the present and future of those of us who live in this country in mind.”

Next Stop: Latam Mobility México 2026

The Latam Mobility 2026 Tour will continue its journey across the region, with the next stop in Mexico City on October 12–13, 2026.

This event is shaping up as the year’s grand finale for the sector, bringing together public, private, academic, and civil society leaders from across Latin America to keep driving the transition toward cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable mobility.

Latam Mobility México 2026 will offer a unique platform to strengthen partnerships, explore the latest innovations, and map out joint roadmaps that accelerate transportation decarbonization across the region.

Latam Mobility thus reaffirms its commitment to being the region’s premier hub for energy transition and networking—connecting the ideas, projects, and people who are transforming the way we move.