{"id":67802,"date":"2026-07-07T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latamobility.com\/?p=67802"},"modified":"2026-06-29T10:16:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T15:16:55","slug":"chile-electric-vehicle-sales-double-but-charging-infrastructure-cant-keep-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latamobility.com\/en\/chile-electric-vehicle-sales-double-but-charging-infrastructure-cant-keep-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Chile: Electric Vehicle Sales Double, but Charging Infrastructure Can’t Keep Up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Chilean automotive market is going through an unprecedented shift. According<\/a><\/strong> to the National Automotive Association of Chile <\/strong>(ANAC), between January and May 2026, 4,168 new 100% electric vehicles<\/strong> were sold\u2014a 96.8% surge<\/strong> compared to the same stretch last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The growth is even steeper in other electrified categories. Plug-in hybrids moved 2,955 units<\/strong>, while extended-range electric vehicles hit 679 units<\/strong>. Together, those two segments posted a combined 327.5% increase<\/strong> during the period, underscoring a rapid pivot in Chilean consumer preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That uptick ties directly to rising fuel costs, driven by the Middle East conflict, which has pushed more buyers to consider electric alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You May Also Be Interested In | Chile Inaugurates the Largest Battery Storage Plant on the Continent<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tesla Leads the Market, Followed by Volvo and BYD<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ignacio Rivas<\/strong> of the Center for Sustainable Mobility<\/strong> explained that EV sales jumped from 4% to 10%<\/strong> of total light-vehicle sales in April 2026\u2014meaning one out of every ten cars sold that month was electric<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That leap builds on an already steady growth base. Before 2024, EVs represented less than 1% of sales in Chile. That year, the Energy Efficiency Law<\/strong> for light vehicles took effect\u2014a pioneering regional regulation that forces manufacturers and importers to gradually fold more efficient models into their lineups. As a result, the number of available 100% EV models went from roughly 40 to about 150<\/strong> in the domestic market, and that figure tops 200 if you include plug-in hybrids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the pure-EV segment, Tesla<\/strong> is the undisputed leader in Chile, with a 27.1% share<\/strong> and 1,128 units<\/strong> sold so far in 2026. It’s followed by Volvo<\/strong> at 8.4% (350 units) and BYD<\/strong> at 8.3% (345 units). Rounding out the top sellers are Maxus (8%), Chevrolet (5.3%), Renault (5.3%), and Geely (5%), among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ANAC<\/strong> stressed, however, that Chile remains “in an early adoption phase” for plug-in mobility. While the percentage growth is impressive, cumulative plug-in penetration sits at just 6.1%<\/strong> \u2014still far from the levels needed for true mass adoption. The trade group warns that hitting the 20% penetration target by 2030<\/strong> would require quadrupling<\/strong> current plug-in sales volume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chile\"
Tesla leads the market<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Charging Infrastructure Can’t Keep Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The booming demand stands in sharp contrast to the sluggish rollout of charging infrastructure. Ignacio Rivas<\/strong> of the Center for Sustainable Mobility<\/strong> noted in a recent interview: “Chile is selling more EVs by the day, but the charging infrastructure just isn’t arriving on time.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rivas explained that while buying an EV takes days or weeks, installing a single public charging point can take months or even years\u2014creating a gap the industry hasn’t yet closed. Right now, roughly 60% of the country’s municipalities<\/strong> have zero public charging points<\/strong>\u2014a shortfall that hits remote areas especially hard, where low demand makes private investment a tough sell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Center for Sustainable Mobility<\/strong> proposes that those territories need direct state funding<\/strong>, following the model used in northern Norway, where the government covered 100% of installation costs to guarantee coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charging in condominiums also runs into regulatory red tape. The Condominium Law<\/strong> requires a majority of ownership rights in a community to approve any modifications to common spaces for charger installation. In a 100-unit building, that means at least 51 votes in favor<\/strong>\u2014a quorum that’s tough to round up in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Center for Sustainable Mobility<\/strong> is pushing for a legal tweak to exempt minor installations from that requirement, and wants new buildings to include electrical conduits from the get-go, following standards already in place in California, the EU, and the UK. According to the group, that kind of forward planning adds less than 1%<\/strong> to a project’s total cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chile
Volvo is the second best-selling brand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Government Updates Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To tackle these challenges, Chile’s Ministry of Energy<\/strong> unveiled the updated National Electromobility Strategy 2030<\/strong> on June 9\u2014continuing a state policy first launched in 2017 to steer the country’s transport system toward cleaner, more efficient, and more competitive ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new roadmap sets an interim goal of 20% zero-emission light- and medium-vehicle sales by 2030<\/strong> , as a stepping stone to the ultimate target of 100% by 2035<\/strong>. The strategy is built around five core pillars:<\/p>\n\n\n\n