Sales of Electric Cars Continue to Grow in Colombia, but with Few Plugs

The electric vehicle market continues to show the strongest signs of growth in Colombia. The monthly report presented by Fenalco and ANDI, based on data from the National Single Transit Registry (RUNT), indicates that registrations of this type of vehicle grew by 252 percent in the past month alone, reaching 5,001 units. However, looming over this sales momentum is the cloud represented by the still limited number of electric charging locations.

Overall, according to the report, between January and May 2026, registrations of new electric vehicles reached 19,542 units, a figure that, compared with the same period in 2025, represents growth of 217.6 percent, according to information compiled by the associations representing the automotive sector.

But there is an important difference in the market between electric and hybrid vehicles, according to the report. While electric vehicles recorded the highest percentage growth, hybrids continued to move more units and registered 8,926 registrations in May, a variation of 69 percent.

Hybrids maintain an advantage over electric vehicles

In the January-May cumulative total, hybrid vehicles reached 36,164 units, with growth of 72.3 percent compared with the same period in 2025. In May, they accounted for 28 percent of all new vehicles registered in the country.

For now, hybrids have another advantage over electric vehicles that has to do with the fact that Colombia’s charging infrastructure is not expanding at the same pace as electric vehicle sales. Data from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and Andemos show that the country has only 229 publicly accessible charging points for approximately 40,000 electric vehicles currently in circulation.

That amounts to one charging station for every 174 vehicles, a ratio that is not only beginning to show signs of saturation but also, in light of international standards, demonstrates that the country still has a long way to go.

The International Energy Agency (IEA), for example, establishes that in order to guarantee adequate coverage, a ratio of one public charger for every ten electric vehicles is needed.

This imbalance means that at some charging locations (also known as charging stations), waiting times to recharge can range from four to six hours. Added to this are stations occupied for long periods and difficulties finding compatible connectors.

Colombia will need 20,000 public charging points by 2030

“The shortage of chargers is becoming a barrier to the market moving from early adopters to mass adoption,” said Lorena Gutierrez, dean of the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences at San Buenaventura University, as quoted by El Colombiano. “If users feel uncertainty about where and when they can charge, the purchase decision cools.”

According to that newspaper, the pressure is explained by the speed of the market. In March 2026 alone, 5,083 electric vehicles were registered, representing growth of 267 percent compared with the same month in 2025, according to ANDI and Fenalco. In other words, the electric vehicle fleet is growing much faster than the available charging network.

For example, companies such as Terpel and the EPM Group account for nearly 40 percent of the country’s public charging stations. In Terpel’s case, it has more than 50 charging points nationwide; in 2025 it added 10 new locations and plans to add another 14 in 2026. The EPM Group operates 17 fast-charging stations in Colombia, six of them in Antioquia, in addition to 32 semi-fast charging stations, 18 of which are also located in that department.

Looking ahead makes the situation even more concerning. According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Colombia will need approximately 20,000 public charging points by 2030, which implies expanding current infrastructure by more than 6,500 percent. The required investment ranges between US$255 million and US$390 million.

To achieve this, the country already offers tax incentives such as income tax deductions and exemptions from VAT and import duties. However, obstacles persist, including high installation costs, permitting requirements, electrical upgrades, and a lack of real-time information.