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 Court Upholds Adults-Only Rule for LGBTIQ+ Pride March Closing Event

In a unanimous decision, Costa Rica’s Constitutional Chamber (Sala IV) has dismissed an appeal challenging the Ministry of Justice and Peace’s reclassification of the...

Costa Rica Detains Two in Killing of U.S. Citizen

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) has arrested two suspects in connection with the murder of American businessman Eshraghollah Vatani. Vatani was reported missing at...

Former Guatemalan Mayor Extradited to US on Cocaine Conspiracy Charges

Guatemalan officials handed over former mayor Romeo Ramos Cruz to US authorities this week, marking another blow to drug networks operating in Central America....

US Plans Funding for Costa Rica Migrant Deportations

The US State Department plans to allocate up to $7.85 million to assist Costa Rica in deporting migrants, drawing from a fund usually aimed...

IKEA Plans To Open First Store in Costa Rica

IKEA plans to open its first store in Costa Rica after signing a franchise agreement with Sarton Group. The deal announced today gives Sarton...

Legal Battle Erupts Over Hutchison’s Panama Canal Port Concession

Panama’s president, José Raúl Mulino, said that he wants to negotiate a new concession contract with the Hong Kong–based Hutchison Holdings subsidiary to continue...
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