With gas prices still around $4USD a gallon in Mexico, going electric might be the most economical option for your travels. But how realistic is driving an electric vehicle in Mexico? This article discusses Mexico’s efforts in the electric vehicle industry, where chargers can be found, and different types of charging stations.
Incentives For Driving an Electric Vehicle in Mexico
Mexico is on its way to establishing a solid charging station network to make the country more environmentally friendly. MexicoBusiness reports that in 2015, BMW and Nissan started the ChargeNow initiative, building hundreds of charging stations in Mexico, as well as working with Google Maps to integrate charging station information.
The Mexican government offers many incentives for the use of electric vehicles. Tax breaks are being offered to electric car owners, including cutting the ISAN (Impuesto Sobre Automóviles Nuevo) tax, AKA new vehicle tax. Also, many states have reduced or completely cut the tenure tax. . Electric vehicles no longer have to have semi-annual emission checks. Even import taxes are completely eliminated until September 30, 2024, according to the National Law Review. Electric vehicle drivers’ are even receiving non-monetary perks. They are excluded from the “Hoy No Circula” restrictions in Mexico City, which is an effort to reduce emissions by restricting cars from driving on certain days. There are preferred parking spots at many public locations, such as grocery stores and shopping malls. If that’s not enough, the government is adding an additional program that allows you to have a meter installed in your home to differentiate the electricity used to charge your car so that you will not be charged. Mexico has made huge strides in its effort to reduce emissions by the use of these vehicles, as well as offering incentives to electric vehicle owners. In the future, we can expect even more benefits for electric vehicle owners.
Where Are the Charging Stations in Mexico?
Going on a road trip in an electric car can be daunting, but these maps should help you plan your trip according to charging locations. Mexico City, Cuernavaca, Nuevo Leon, Guadalajara, Aguascalientes, and Tampico have established markets for electric vehicles and, therefore, the infrastructure to support them. There are several websites to find charging stations. Electromaps shows an updated interactive map of Mexico where the charging stations are located. In addition, it shows statistics on the most common types of chargers and the newest locations of charging stations. For Tesla users, Tesla has a list of Destination Chargers and Superchargers in which you can find all the charging locations per city. ChargeNow, an initiative by BMW and Nissan, offers Nissan and BMW users an interactive map showing ChargeNow stations and DC fast-charging stations. In addition, BMW has to charge station locations integrated into the navigation system (ConnectedDrive) to find the nearest one. Finding a charging station shouldn’t be difficult, thanks to the several comprehensive websites listed above. However, it is critical to find a charger that is right for your car.
Which Charger Does My Electrical Vehicle Need?
There are many different types of electric vehicles, and they require different voltages to charge. Be sure to know what amount of voltage your car needs and what type of charger it is compatible with. Mexico is the third-largest market for Toyota Prius, but that’s not the only electric vehicle you will see in Mexico. Other common models include Nissan Leaf, Renault Twizy, BMW i3, Tesla S, X, M3, Chevrolet Bolt EV, and Zacua M, all of which are compatible with different charging stations.
The different types of charging stations available in Mexico are Tesla Destination Charger, Type 1 (saej1772), Tesla supercharger, Schuko (EU plug), CHAdeMO, and CCS2. Electro Maps shows that there are 244 Tesla Destination chargers, 156 Type 1 (saej1772) chargers, 127 Tesla Superchargers, and 70 combined charging stations for Schuko, CHAdeMO, and CCS2.
There are many determining factors for what type of charging station is right for your vehicle. First, the amount of wattage coming from the outlet and how much charge your vehicle can accept at a time. There are several different types of chargers available in Mexico, including Type 1, CCS, CHAdeMO, and Tesla. Type 1 chargers are most common with BMW. This type of charger only offers slow and fast charging capabilities on an alternating current with a power of 3-7kW. CCS (Combined Charging System) chargers are compatible with many different models of vehicles and offer up to 350KW of power. CHAdeMO is common with Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Toyota, and Nissan and offers up to 400KW of power. The make and model of your vehicle will determine if your vehicle is a viable option for traveling electric through Mexico.
Mexico is continually increasing its efforts to reduce emissions and make electric vehicle transportation more viable. There are hundreds of charging stations available across the country provided by several different companies. Because there are several different types of plugins, research should be done to identify which plugin your specific vehicle needs. Most charging stations seem to be on the coasts as well as in the center of Mexico. As you travel past Veracruz, chargers become more difficult to find, yet not impossible. The best electric vehicles to travel through Mexico are Tesla, Nissan, and BMW, which have the most charging stations available. If you do not have one of these brands, consider purchasing an adapter so you can use the Tesla plug-ins. Safe Travels!
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