Latin America is often dismissed as "behind" on EV infrastructure, but the market is changing fast. BEV sales grew 72% YoY in 2025 — among the fastest growth rates globally. Charging infrastructure continued explosive growth in H1 2026, with Brazil alone adding over 4,300 new charging points in just three months, and DC fast charging share continuing to rise.

1. Market Overview: Infrastructure Gap = Opportunity

As of May 2026, the five major Latin American markets had approximately 33,800 public/semi-public chargers. Brazil dominates with 25,429 chargers (75% of the regional total), followed by Mexico with 4,378 (+24.6% YoY, concentrated in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, and US border corridors), and Chile with over 3,100 (highest regional penetration).

Figure 1: Latin America Public EV Chargers by Country, May 2026

A notable dynamic: hybrids (HEV/PHEV) historically represented over 60% of electrified vehicle sales, largely because public charging was unreliable. But DC fast charger deployment grew 167% in the past year, and grew another 32.8% between February and May 2026 alone. Networks are improving rapidly, and BEV sales are now accelerating.

Figure 2: Latin America BEV New Car Penetration by Country, May 2026

2. Country-by-Country Analysis

2.1 Brazil: The Regional Leader

Brazil is the largest market by far, with 25,429 public/semi-public chargers as of May 2026, a 20.7% increase from 21,061 in February — adding 4,368 chargers in just three months. Most notably, DC fast charging has exploded: DC fast chargers grew from 6,479 in February to 8,601 in May, a 32.8% increase in three months, now representing 33.8% of all public chargers, covering 1,788 municipalities.

Brazil uses CCS2 standard (same as Europe), electricity is abundant and cheap, and BYD is already the top-selling NEV brand. Chinese charging equipment holds over 70% import market share due to strong value proposition. A new São Paulo law guaranteeing charging installation rights in condominiums is further boosting residential wallbox demand.

Figure 3: Brazil Public Charger Growth Trend (as of May 2026)

2.2 Mexico: Nearshoring Dividend

Mexico benefits from nearshoring trends, with multiple OEMs building EVs for export to the US. The public charging network grew 24.6% YoY to 4,378 connection points, with DC fast charging representing over 55% of installations — highest in the region — driven by long-distance border corridor demand. Q1 2026 EV sales reached 25,003 units (+21.6% YoY), with BYD selling 7 out of 10 EVs in Mexico. Important note: despite proximity to the US, Mexico uses CCS2 (not NACS).

2.3 Chile: The Penetration Leader

Chile has the highest BEV penetration in Latin America at 6.5%, with strong government incentives, low electricity costs, and stable regulation. The country now has over 3,100 charging stations, the highest per-capita charging density in the region, with 2,505 electric buses — one of the highest electric bus penetration rates globally. While smaller in absolute size than Brazil, it is a popular pilot market for companies entering the region.

2.4 Colombia and Uruguay: Rapid Growth

Colombia saw 19,542 EV registrations in January-May 2026, a 217.6% YoY increase — the fastest growth in Latin America, with the Tesla Model Y becoming the country's best-selling car overall. Charging infrastructure currently lags at a 337:1 vehicle-to-charger ratio, with government plans to install 19,386 public chargers by 2030. Uruguay reached 30% EV share of new car sales, with 400+ public chargers and plans to add 300 more in 2026.

3. Infrastructure Characteristics

Figure 4: Latin America Charger AC/DC Share, May 2026

DC fast charging is rapidly gaining share, now at 34% of public chargers and growing much faster than AC. While 90% of chargers were historically concentrated in capital cities, highway fast charging corridors are now the major investment focus, with fast charging coverage in Brazil's North region growing 74.5% YoY, and intercity coverage improving quickly.

Products need to be price-competitive, reliable, and designed for unstable grid conditions — wide voltage tolerance and surge protection are essential features.

4. Market Opportunities

Latin America is in early growth stages with far less competition than mature markets, and Chinese EV charger manufacturers have a clear value advantage.

Key products:

• 60kW/120kW integrated DC fast chargers for urban and highway deployment

• 7kW/22kW AC wallbox EV chargers for cost-sensitive residential/commercial markets

• Wide voltage design and surge protection for unstable grids

• OCPP-compliant smart EV chargers for integration with local CPO networks

Brazil requires INMETRO certification; other markets primarily accept CE/IEC standards. Consider piloting in Chile or Colombia before expanding to the larger Brazilian and Mexican markets.

Data Sources:

ABVE (Brazilian Electric Vehicle Association) & Tupi Mobilidade, May 2026 charging infrastructure census (25,429 points, 8,601 DC)

Latam Mobility, Balance of Electric Mobility in Latin America H1 2026, June 2026

LeMob News, Brazil's EV Charging Network Tops 25,000 Points, June 2026

AMIA (Mexican Automotive Industry Association), Mexico EV sales and charging data Q1 2026

ANAC (Chilean National Automotive Association), Chile EV market data May 2026

RUNT Colombia, Colombia EV registrations January-May 2026