The Mexican market of electric and plug-in vehicles The year has started with a remarkable growth rate, driven by a wider range of models, an ever-expanding charging network, and new financing options. Despite an international context marked by geopolitical volatility and trade tensions, demand for new technology cars has not slowed down.
According to the latest data from the Electro Mobility Association (EMA)Registrations of fully electric, plug-in hybrid and extended-range electric cars in the first quarter show that the electric car is ceasing to be a rarity and becoming another option within the new vehicle market, with a still moderate but clearly expanding share.
Sales on the rise: more than 25.000 electrified vehicles in three months
They were sold in Mexico from January to March 25.003 new generation electrified vehicles, including pure electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and range extended range electric vehicles (REEVs), from brands such as BYD, Geely, GAC, Tesla, Changan, JAC, Zeekr or Link&Co, among other firms affiliated with the EMA.
This volume represents a year-on-year growth of 21,6% Sales of electric and plug-in vehicles have increased, according to the Electromobility Barometer prepared by the association. This progress comes amid global uncertainty, but the adoption of new mobility technologies continues to gain ground among Mexican drivers.
In terms of market share, the so-called “green cars” Electric, plug-in hybrid, and extended-range electric vehicles accounted for approximately 6,5% of all new car registrations in the country during the first quarter. In the same period, a total of 381.632 light vehicles were sold, according to figures from INEGI (the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography), positioning electrified technologies as a growing niche within the overall market.
The EMA emphasizes that part of the rebound is due to the addition of new brands This has allowed for a more precise understanding of the sector's statistics. The addition of manufacturers like GAC and Geely to the association's registry has necessitated updating historical data, broadening the scope of the measurement and providing a more comprehensive view of the electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle fleet on the road.
Thanks to this update, the accumulated fleet of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles In Mexico, the number has already surpassed 235.000 units. That is to say, in just a few years, it has gone from almost negligible figures to a volume that is beginning to be relevant for infrastructure planning, public policies, and industrial strategies, both locally and in relation to other markets, such as the European market.
The weight of each technology: pure electric, plug-in hybrid and extended range
If we break down the sales figures for the first quarter, we can see that demand is mainly distributed between plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehiclesPHEVs totaled 14.617 units, while fully electric vehicles reached 10.340 registrations in the analyzed period.
This figure of 10.340 fully electric cars This includes both the data reported to INEGI (the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography) and additional sales collected by EMA (the Mexican Association of Electric Vehicle Manufacturers) from brands that do not report to the statistical institute, such as BYD or other Asian manufacturers that have recently entered the country. This revises upward the official figure, which placed sales of pure electric vehicles at approximately 6.691 units, almost half of the actual figure estimated by the association.
Meanwhile, the vehicles of extended range (REEV) They remain a minority option within the Mexican electrified vehicle market. In the first quarter, only 46 units with this technology were sold, which combines a main electric system with an additional generator to increase range without relying exclusively on plug-in charging.
EMA President Eugenio Grandio insists that the boost to these figures is not solely due to demand, but also to a structural change in supplyThere are more models, more brands and a wider range of prices, a dynamic that is also seen in Europe, where the catalog of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles has continued to grow in recent years.
Collectively, the companies affiliated with the EMA market their products in Mexico. over 110 electric vehicle models Pure electric vehicles and some 60 additional models, including plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles. In total, more than 170 electrified options are available to consumers, a diversity that is increasingly similar to that seen in markets such as Europe, although with differences in segments, prices, and equipment levels.
Charging infrastructure: double-digit growth in public and private charging points
The expansion of the electrified fleet cannot be understood without the parallel development of the charging infrastructureDuring the first quarter, the network of public charging stations in Mexico registered double-digit growth, which helps to reduce one of the main barriers to entry into electric mobility: concerns about range and the availability of charging points.
Compared to the same period last year, the number of public charging points The number of charging points increased from 3.514 to 4.378, representing a 24,6% year-on-year rise. These locations, distributed throughout the country, allow vehicles to be recharged on public roads, in shopping centers, parking lots, and other shared spaces.
Private infrastructure has also been strengthened. The network of charging points at homes, businesses and fleets It reached 55.224 charging points at the end of the quarter, representing a year-over-year increase of 25,7%. This growth reflects the decision by many individual and corporate users to install charging solutions in frequently used locations, prioritizing slow or semi-fast charging in controlled environments.
Of particular relevance is the progress in the fast charging stationsThis is a key segment for medium- and long-distance travel and has been identified in Europe as one of the pillars for consolidating the adoption of electric vehicles. According to the EMA, the number of charging points of this type grew by around 14%, while the total number of associated connectors increased by approximately 25%, reflecting both a quantitative and qualitative improvement in the network.
Since the first Electromobility Barometer, published in June 2024, the The public charging network in Mexico has grown by about 40%.This evolution, although still far from the charging point densities shown by some European countries, indicates that the country is entering a more mature phase of infrastructure deployment, in which private investments, initiatives from energy operators and strategies from the automotive brands themselves are combined.
Financing and on-demand transport: the multiplier effect of apps
Access to credit has become a decisive factor enabling more users, especially transport professionals, to opt for an electric vehicle. During the first quarter, loans were granted 2.218 specific financings for the acquisition of electrified cars intended primarily for on-demand mobility services through mobile applications.
With this volume, the historic number of loans linked to electric vehicles all with transport platforms It's approaching 20.000 units. Most of these loans are concentrated on pure electric cars and plug-in hybrids, used by drivers operating in large cities and metropolitan areas, where the combination of urban routes and charging availability makes this type of technology more viable.
EMA data shows that electric vehicles used on transport platforms They made 5,8 million trips during the first quarter of the year. In terms of distance, this equates to approximately 62,8 million kilometers traveled without local emissions, an impact that, extrapolated over time, contributes significantly to improving air quality in the most congested urban environments.
This on-demand transportation segment functions as a “multiplier effect” for the adoption of electric cars. The combination of business models designed to reduce drivers' operating costs, the greater variety of models available, and the growing presence of charging points means that more and more professionals are considering making the switch to a vehicle with zero local emissions.
From a comparative perspective, this phenomenon is reminiscent of what has happened in some European cities, where the fleets of electric taxis and VTCs They have acted as a spearhead in the transition to electromobility. There, the combination of tax incentives, restrictions on combustion engine vehicle traffic in central areas, and infrastructure support has accelerated fleet renewal. In Mexico, the impetus comes more from the pull of the platforms themselves and the search for lower operating costs in the medium and long term.
The entry of new brands and the link with global transformation
The advancement of electromobility in Mexico is part of a broader transformation of the global automotive industryThe aggressive entry of Chinese manufacturers into numerous markets, including Europe, is pressuring traditional builders to accelerate the development of their electric range, adjust prices, and rethink production and supply strategies.
In the Mexican case, the EMA emphasizes that the increase in sales During the beginning of the year, it is directly related to the arrival of more "green" models, particularly from Chinese brands such as Geely, GAC, BYD or Changan, which have positioned themselves with a competitive offer in segments where price and equipment play a crucial role for the average consumer.
The association acknowledges that its barometer does not yet capture the 100% of market transactionsSince not all companies report their figures, the picture is more realistic and representative as more manufacturers are added to the statistical system.
In cumulative terms, the brands affiliated with the EMA already exceed 235.000 electrified units sold in the country, a milestone that allows us to start drawing parallels with other regions, such as the European Union, where decarbonization plans and emissions regulations are accelerating the replacement of internal combustion engines with electric or plug-in hybrid alternatives.
Although the regulatory context and incentives are not identical, both in Mexico and in Europe the emission reduction The search for more efficient mobility solutions is shaping the purchasing decisions of households and businesses. The challenge for the coming years lies in coordinating infrastructure deployment, offering attractive financing frameworks, and ensuring that the range of models covers everything from the most affordable to the highest-end segments.
The balance sheet for this start of the year shows that the sale of electric vehicles in Mexico is ceasing to be a marginal phenomenon and becoming a significant player in the automotive market: registrations are growing at a double-digit rate, the public and private charging infrastructure is expanding rapidly, financing facilitates the incorporation of these cars into on-demand transport fleets, and the entry of new brands, largely Chinese, is reshaping the supply, in a process that connects directly with the transition that the European industry is also experiencing towards mobility with a lower environmental impact.
