No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaElectric vehicle adoption rate in Costa Rica remains low

Electric vehicle adoption rate in Costa Rica remains low

Costa Rica this year added 727 new electric vehicles for a total of 3,106 registered in the country, according to the Presidency. Some 330 of those were purchased by the government and assigned to public institutions, including to the Electricity Institute (ICE) and the Post Office.

The Presidency says Costa Rica is a regional leader in electric vehicles per capita. Still, the 3,106 figure is a fraction of the country’s vehicles; Costa Rica has Latin America’s highest vehicle density.

“It is important that this 2020, despite the context of the global pandemic, the acquisition and registration of electric vehicles remained,” said First Lady Claudia Dobles.

The 727 new electric vehicles in 2020 are a slight decrease compared to 2019, when the country added 731. However, it represents a significant increase compared to 2018 (424) and every year prior.

Costa Rica offers tax breaks to incentivize ownership of electric vehicles.

The country also has more than 100 electric car charging stations within its national territory, making the Central American country the first in the region with a nationwide charging network.

The website PlugShare, which identifies EV charging stations worldwide, lists at least 120 locations in Costa Rica — the majority clustered around the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM), including San José.

Costa Rica EV Charging Map
Via PlugShare.

When the National Decarbonization Plan was inaugurated in 2018, modernizing the country’s transportation infrastructure was listed as a pillar of the initiative.

Electric vehicles would help Costa Rica rely more fully on green energy; the country has generated more than 98% of its power through renewable resources over the last five years.

In addition to electric vehicles, the National Decarbonization Plan also includes electric railway projects. An electric passenger train, which would be the backbone of a modern transportation system through the Greater Metropolitan Area, will soon reach the Legislative Assembly for debate, according to Dobles.

An electric freight train in Limón and the rebuilding of the Pacific railroad remain in feasibility stages.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Bill Targets Pretrial Detention for Organized Crime Cases

Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly is moving forward with a bill that aims to strengthen the rules around pretrial detention in response to growing threats...

Venezuela Tensions Rise After U.S. Strike on Alleged Narco Vessel

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced Friday a new strike in the Caribbean off Venezuela’s coast against an alleged narco-boat, leaving 4 dead. “Following President...

Costa Rica Police Investigate Buried Body as Possible Gringo Tico

Police in Costa Rica are checking if a body dug up from a farm belongs to Daniel Francisco Vargas Salas, a 71-year-old man locals...

Costa Rican Hotels Warn of Job Risks Amid Drop in Tourists

Hotels across Costa Rica face mounting pressures as tourist numbers dip and a sluggish dollar exchange rate eats into their earnings. From January to...

New Poison Dart Frog Species Discovered in Peru’s Amazon

Peruvian researchers have identified a new poison dart frog in the Amazon rainforest, adding to the region's rich array of wildlife. The tiny creature,...

Costa Rica Bill Targets Public Drinking with Fines and Jail Time

Lawmakers in Costa Rica have put forward a bill to crack down on drinking in public spaces, aiming to cut down on related disturbances...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica