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

Second Phase of FIFA 2026 World Cup Tickets Launches

Fans across the globe now have another shot at securing seats for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as the organization opens the second phase...

Docuseries Last Lands Spotlights Panama’s Prison Island Now a National Park

ABC News Live has launched the second season of its docuseries "Last Lands," with an episode that spotlights Coiba Island in Panama. The island,...

Costa Rica Expat Guide to Creative DIY Home Repairs

My family was recently cleaning up our backyard, tidying up the mass of branches that had been ditched on the property by the local...

Costa Rica Politics Shaken by Fatal Crash with Eli Feinzaig

A head-on collision on the Bernardo Soto highway in Buenos Aires de Palmares, Alajuela, turned deadly Friday morning, killing Éricka Benavides, advisor to Congressman...

Costa Rica Warns on Methanol Risks in Alcohol Amid Regional Outbreaks

Costa Rica's health officials have stepped up alerts on the dangers of methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol, aligning with similar actions across Latin America...

Guatemala’s Prison Escape and Central America Security Risks

Guatemala faces ongoing challenges with gang activity, and recent events highlight how these groups test the system's limits. On October 12, officials announced that...
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