{"id":66718,"date":"2026-06-15T05:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T10:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latamobility.com\/?p=66718"},"modified":"2026-06-11T13:09:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T18:09:02","slug":"toyota-bets-on-multi-technology-and-xpeng-on-ai-auteco-blue-autovardi-and-inchcape-join-the-debate-on-innovation-in-the-colombian-automotive-ecosystem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latamobility.com\/en\/toyota-bets-on-multi-technology-and-xpeng-on-ai-auteco-blue-autovardi-and-inchcape-join-the-debate-on-innovation-in-the-colombian-automotive-ecosystem\/","title":{"rendered":"Toyota Bets on Multi-Technology and Xpeng on AI: Auteco Blue, Autovard\u00ed and Inchcape Join the Debate on Innovation in the Colombian Automotive Ecosystem"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
During the sixth edition of \u201cLatam Mobility Colombia 2026,\u201d<\/strong> held at the Orquideorama<\/strong> of the Medell\u00edn Botanical Garden, the panel \u201cAutomotive Ecosystem and Regional Challenges: Innovation and Adoption for Sustainable and Connected Mobility\u201d<\/strong> took place, moderated by Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda<\/strong>, Director of Mobility at Invest In Latam<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The panel consisted of Carlos Rodr\u00edguez Ariza<\/strong>, Commercial and After\u2011Sales Director of Auteco Blue<\/strong>; Julio Calder\u00f3n<\/strong>, Chief Compliance Officer of Automotores Toyota Colombia<\/strong>; Mar\u00eda Cristina Castro<\/strong>, General Manager of Autovard\u00ed<\/strong> (representative of Chery<\/strong> in Colombia); Nicol\u00e1s Mu\u00f1oz<\/strong>, Brand Manager of Xpeng<\/strong>; and Rosmary Morales<\/strong>, Sustainability Lead of Inchcape<\/strong> (importer of brands such as Xpeng<\/strong>, GWM<\/strong>, Mercedes\u2011Benz<\/strong>, Suzuki<\/strong>, Jeep<\/strong>, among others).<\/p>\n\n\n\n They all agreed that the Colombian new energy vehicle market has experienced exponential growth<\/strong>, but warned that structural challenges still exist that require joint action<\/strong> between the private sector, government, and academia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may also be interested in<\/strong> | Report | Fleets in Colombia: Renewal, Electrification, and New Rules Setting the Course in 2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rosmary Morales<\/strong> opened the conversation by noting that Inchcape<\/strong>, as the largest multi\u2011brand importer and distributor in the world, grew more than 60%<\/strong> in the representation of hybrid and electric vehicles between 2025 and 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHaving that multi\u2011brand perspective allows us to adapt to consumer needs,\u201d<\/strong> she said, and explained that while some customers opt for a 100% electric vehicle<\/strong>, others find in hybrids the best gateway to the transition<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mar\u00eda Cristina Castro<\/strong> supported this vision and added that 50% of the new vehicle fleet sold in Colombia already corresponds to new energies<\/strong> (hybrids at all levels, plug\u2011ins, and electric vehicles).<\/p>\n\n\n\n She also highlighted that Colombia has surpassed countries like Costa Rica in electric vehicle penetration, reaching figures above 20%<\/strong> for some brands, and is approaching Uruguay which has 30%<\/strong> . \u201cWhen the market sells more than half of its vehicles in new energies, we really have to talk about new mobility in the country,\u201d<\/strong> she stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nicol\u00e1s Mu\u00f1oz<\/strong> presented Xpeng<\/strong>\u2019s vision \u2013 a company that goes beyond car manufacturing: it is an artificial intelligence (AI) company<\/strong> that also develops drones, manned flights, and humanoids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He explained that today customers no longer look only for range and price, but for added value through software<\/strong>. Xpeng<\/strong> offers over\u2011the\u2011air (OTA) updates<\/strong> that allow the vehicle to evolve with the market and learn from global AI. \u201cWe are selling software and everything it means to make people\u2019s lives easier,\u201d<\/strong> he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He also highlighted the importance of after\u2011sales service as a trust builder<\/strong>: Xpeng<\/strong> is certifying high\u2011voltage technicians and equipping workshops with the highest standards, aware that fear of an accident or technical failure is one of the main barriers to adoption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Julio Calder\u00f3n<\/strong> recalled that Toyota<\/strong> has completed 60 years of uninterrupted presence in Colombia<\/strong>, during which time it has learned that the country is 90% rural<\/strong>. Therefore, the brand rejects over\u2011reliance on a single technology and bets on a range of solutions ranging from full hybrid<\/strong> to battery electric vehicle<\/strong> and, in the future, hydrogen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is no single technology, just as there is no single solution for all problems,\u201d<\/strong> he emphasized. Calder\u00f3n<\/strong> presented the concept of \u201cpeace of mind\u201d<\/strong> as Toyota<\/strong>\u2019s hallmark, backed by a value chain that includes always\u2011available spare parts, effective after\u2011sales, and the development of Kinto<\/strong>, a mobility\u2011as\u2011a\u2011service platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He also warned about a troubling fact: if Colombia wants to reach the goal of 600,000 electric vehicles by 2030<\/strong>, it will need the equivalent of 1.5 times the capacity of the Ituango hydroelectric project<\/strong> to supply the required energy. \u201cIs Colombia prepared for that level of investment? It is an uncomfortable question, but we must answer it,\u201d<\/strong> he raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carlos Rodr\u00edguez Ariza<\/strong> shared the experience of Auteco Blue<\/strong>, a company specialized in electric mobility since 2019, focused mainly on the business sector (B2B).<\/p>\n\n\n\n He noted that the company\u2019s evolution has been based on data collected from real operations<\/strong> in different productive sectors of the country. Thanks to its six years of experience, the company has developed specific telemetry for electromobility and has become a service station in Colombia for two of the world\u2019s leading battery manufacturers: CATL and Gotion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rodr\u00edguez<\/strong> highlighted the importance of technical training as a barrier not yet resolved<\/strong>: \u201cTechnical institutions must prepare their academic curricula to train the workforce required by the new field of electromobility.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most recurrent themes was the need for clear and lasting rules<\/strong>. Julio Calder\u00f3n<\/strong> was emphatic: \u201cThe mobility game is not played alone. Customer, government, dealerships and importers must be aligned.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n He also noted that legal instability in Colombia \u2013 such as sudden changes in driving restrictions for hybrids or the discussion on technical standards equivalent to those of the United States \u2013 generates uncertainty and hinders investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe need state policies, not government policies,\u201d<\/strong> he stated. \u201cA country with a 0.2% share of the global market should not be debating whether U.S. federal safety standards are equivalent for Colombia. That makes no sense.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nicol\u00e1s Mu\u00f1oz<\/strong> supported this vision: \u201cInchcape and Xpeng do not make decisions for 1 or 2 years, but for 5 or 10 years. If tax or tariff conditions change, business plans are destroyed and investors will not bring more brands.\u201d<\/strong> He added that legal stability would also allow financing for charging networks and infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda<\/strong> asked what the main barriers still holding back adoption are despite the growth. The answers were emphatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mar\u00eda Cristina Castro<\/strong> identified three major brakes: the consumer confidence index in the entire ecosystem<\/strong> (financing, rates, insurability, spare parts availability), the lack of specialized technicians<\/strong>, and the age of the Colombian vehicle fleet<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Castro<\/strong> revealed that Colombia has only between 143 and 150 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants<\/strong> \u2013 well below the Latin American average (250\u2011280) \u2013 which implies an aging fleet with high costs in public health and accident rates. \u201cWe need to define clear goals for fleet renewal and access to technology for the base of the pyramid,\u201d<\/strong> she stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nicol\u00e1s Mu\u00f1oz<\/strong> added a little\u2011discussed barrier: depreciation or buyback of electric vehicles<\/strong>. He noted that if a customer buys an EV and a year later is offered 40% or 50% less than a combustion vehicle, they will not buy an electric one again. \u201cManufacturers must be responsible for maintaining the market price so that the buyback is not so penalized. Even if it\u2019s not profitable, it\u2019s our responsibility.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rosmary Morales<\/strong> agreed that trust is the most relevant asset<\/strong> and highlighted the need for multi\u2011stakeholder coordination. She mentioned Inchcape<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cMotors of Change\u201d<\/strong> study, which revealed that Colombia is the Latin American country most open to new mobility technologies<\/strong>. However, resistance persists due to fear of not finding charging infrastructure or losing range. \u201cWe need a roadmap with long\u2011term predictability,\u201d<\/strong> she underscored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The panel made clear that Colombia is now a reference in sustainable mobility in Latin America<\/strong>, with a market that adopts new technologies faster than many of its neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But consumer trust<\/strong>, legal stability<\/strong>, technical training<\/strong>, charging infrastructure<\/strong>, and electric vehicle depreciation<\/strong> remain barriers that require coordinated action between the private sector, government, and academia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The final message was optimistic but realistic: continuing to grow is possible, but it requires long\u2011term state policies and effective coordination of the entire ecosystem.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, moderator Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda<\/strong> thanked the panelists and highlighted that the world we live in today is not that of last year, and that conversations and challenges are evolving rapidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Latam Mobility 2026 Tour<\/strong> will arrive in Santiago, Chile, on August 25<\/a><\/strong>, bringing together experts and strategic players to further strengthen the sustainable mobility ecosystem in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAccelerated Growth and Technology Diversification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Software and Artificial Intelligence as Differentiators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Toyota: 60 Years in Colombia and a Multi\u2011Technology Strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Auteco Blue: B2B Learnings and Technical Training<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Legal Stability and State Policies, Not Government Policies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Barriers: Trust, Depreciation and Insurability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Coordinated Actions Are Needed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Year 2026 of Consolidation for Mobility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n