In 2025, Colombia was the third country in Latin America in terms of electric vehicle sales, surpassed only by Brazil and Mexico. Credit: Josep Maria Freixes / Colombia One.
Colombia closed 2025 as the third country in Latin America with the highest electric vehicle sales, surpassed only by regional giants Brazil and Mexico. Beyond a mere statistical figure, this result reflects a profound transformation in the national automotive market, driven by growing demand for clean technologies, a wider range of models, and, for many, the arrival of new global players in the Colombian market.
Although the road ahead is still long, the phenomenon represents a boost in favor of the transition toward electromobility, placing the country on the regional map of sustainable mobility. By the end of 2025, Latin America had sold 632,992 electrified vehicles, 47.5% more than in 2024.
Official figures paint a picture of acceleration. According to 2025 sales data compiled by business associations such as the National Business Association of Colombia (Andi) and Fenalco, Colombia registered 19,724 fully electric vehicles during the year, representing 115% growth compared to the previous year.
That volume allowed the country to reach a market share of around 7.8% for electric vehicles, a notable jump compared to previous years and the third position in the region, behind only Brazil (+81,000 units) and Mexico (+20,900 units).
Colombia ranks as the third-largest electric vehicle seller in LatAm
The advance of electromobility in Colombia is not explained solely by the figures for 2025, but by a sustained trend over recent years. Sales of electrified vehicles — including hybrids and fully electric models — showed even stronger growth: 87,677 units sold, 69% more than in 2024, representing 34.5% of all new vehicle sales in the country.
This places Colombia among the economies with the highest penetration of clean technologies within total automotive sales in the region.
This growth has been largely driven by a sustained increase in the supply of electric and hybrid models available in the Colombian market, as well as greater consumer familiarity with these technologies. Brands such as BYD, Kia, and Chery have reported significant sales of their electric models, consolidating their position as key players in a segment traditionally dominated by internal combustion vehicles.
Despite encouraging figures, the charging infrastructure still shows significant gaps compared to regional leaders. Brazil and Mexico have a much broader network of public fast-charging stations, while Colombia remains in a more incipient phase of expansion.
This imbalance has been identified as one of the main challenges to consolidating the adoption of fully electric vehicles, especially outside urban centers.
The 2025 Latin American ranking is led by Brazil, with 278,462 units sold (10.4% share of Brazil’s local market); it is followed by Mexico, with 147,110 units (9.4%), while Colombia ranks third, with 87,677 units (34.5%).
Behind Colombia is Chile, a country that also showed outstanding performance with 37,544 units, representing 92.3% annual growth. Finally, Uruguay sold 20,585 vehicles, leading regional percentage growth with 107.2%.
Much further down, Guatemala recorded 7,181 units and an 85.2% increase; Paraguay, 4,049 units, with 65.7% growth; Ecuador, 22,646 units, with a 56.1% increase; Peru, 10,239 vehicles, with 54.1% more than the previous year; and Panama, 3,441 units, with a 27.9% increase. Costa Rica was the exception in this panorama of rising sales: 14,058 units and a slight 0.4% decline.
During his visit to China last year, Colombian President Gustavo Petro met with executives from BYD, which dominates the electric vehicle market in the South American country, accounting for more than 50% of sales. Credit: Juan Diego Cano / Presidency of Colombia.
The impact of Tesla and the arrival of new players
A specific milestone that marked the Colombian market in 2025 was the formal entry of Tesla — the first exhibition car arrived in Colombia a year earlier — the U.S.-based global leader in electric vehicles.
Although the number of units sold by Tesla in the country was modest — around 18 units marketed in November of last year — its presence had a symbolic and communicational impact that boosted the visibility of EVs among local consumers.
The arrival of Elon Musk’s brand also raised expectations about the future expansion of options and the possibility that other manufacturers with longer-range and higher-performance models may enter Colombia.
Beyond Tesla, the presence of Asian brands such as BYD has been decisive. BYD not only leads the Colombian market by sales volume in some categories, but has also stood out regionally for its agility in introducing models tailored to different consumer segments and price ranges.
This dynamism has allowed electric vehicles to become a real alternative even for buyers who traditionally opted for internal combustion or hybrid models.
Despite notable progress, experts and business associations have warned that the growth of electric vehicles in Colombia still faces structural barriers. Among the most frequently cited are the lack of a robust public charging network, instability in tax incentives, and the need for clear long-term policies that can sustain investment and provide confidence to consumers and manufacturers alike.
The low charging density is especially evident when compared to regional leaders and could limit mass adoption outside the main urban hubs.
In addition, the proportion of electric vehicles relative to the total number of cars in circulation remains low in absolute terms, indicating that while the growth rate is high, the country’s overall motorization still has significant room to expand.
According to comparative statistics, Colombia has fewer vehicles per thousand inhabitants than more mature markets in the region, suggesting both a challenge and an opportunity for the EV market to continue growing in the coming years.
Toward a new era of mobility
Colombia’s 2025 result is significant: Becoming the third-largest market in Latin America for electric vehicle sales speaks to a paradigm shift in the way Colombians conceive mobility, marking the beginning of a future market seeking renewal, hand in hand with public policy.
Beyond figures and rankings within the region, this phenomenon reflects a transition toward cleaner technologies, fueled both by changes in product offerings and by a society increasingly aware of the need to reduce the environmental footprint of transportation.
The challenge now is to sustain this momentum, consolidate infrastructure, and build a regulatory environment that allows electric vehicles to move beyond a niche option and become an accessible alternative for most drivers.
In all this, the determination and commitment of the public sector — especially regarding incentives and the implementation of a charging network expected to grow exponentially — will make the difference in a market that, despite clear expansion, still needs many more drivers to consolidate a genuine shift in the conception of mobility.
