Costa Rica Embraces Electric Vehicles in Response to Global Sustainability Trends

Several countries and organizations have committed to discontinuing the production and sale of fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2035. This pledge was a key focus at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Scotland, where partnerships were formed among participating nations.

Norway stands out as a leader in this movement, with a requirement for all cars sold from 2025 onward to be zero-emission vehicles.

Despite the presence of traditional combustion cars in the Costa Rican market, the increasing awareness of climate change and the availability of cleaner technologies are driving the shift towards more sustainable mobility.

Alberto Phillips, a product manager at AutoStar, highlighted the rapid growth of electric vehicles in the country compared to others in the region, emphasizing that various factors such as government policies and consumer preferences will determine the dominance of Electric cars over combustion ones.

The representation of electric vehicles in Costa Rica’s total market has been doubling each year, reflecting a significant transition towards electric mobility.

Business owners noted a notable increase in sales of electric vehicles in the domestic market over the past year, indicating a shift towards cleaner transportation options. However, the timeline for the eventual dominance of electric vehicles over combustion ones is complex and dependent on multiple factors.

Many anticipate that the transition to electric mobility will depend on the development of charging infrastructure, government incentives, the availability of electric vehicles, and evolving consumer attitudes.

Rodolfo Araya, Regional Sales Director at Hyundai Grupo Q, expressed uncertainty about how much longer gasoline cars will prevail over electric vehicles in Costa Rica, but emphasized that change is inevitable.