The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were approved in 2015 and represent the international commitment to face the challenges facing the planet with a period of 15 years to meet them. Sustainable mobility, which is SDG 7, is one of the fundamental vectors that guide them.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Cepal), one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations, established in 2019 that the participation of fossil fuels in the region’s energy matrix is close to 75%, and it reaches 44% in the case of electricity generation and more than 90% in transport. One of the recommendations for the region is to electrify transportation.
In Ecuador, for example, some companies began processes to change their fleets to electric vehicles, taxes have been reduced to promote the commercialization of this type of automobile, which is increasingly offered by brands that also launch more models on the national market. In the first half of 2022 alone, 38 new models were introduced, including hybrids and electrics.
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This sum of supply goes hand in hand with demand. According to figures from the Association of Automotive Companies of Ecuador (Aeade), from January to November 2022, 128,523 vehicles were sold in the country, a growth of 17.1% compared to the same period in 2021; And of that total, the sale of electric vehicles grew 32%, going from 268 units sold in 2021 -January to November- to 355 in 2022.
However, despite the interesting growth of this segment, they still represent only 5% of the market, along with hybrid vehicles; compared to 70% of gasoline vehicles and 25% of diesel.
ECLAC highlighted in its report that the electric vehicle market in the region was still small, but was constantly growing: the electric vehicle fleet in most countries did not reach 1,000 units, with the exception of Mexico and Colombia. “But, as electric mobility is introduced, technologies and incentives are also being tested, at the same time that the first round of charging infrastructure is implemented.”
Ecuador reached those 1,000 in five years of sales, according to the Chamber of the Ecuadorian Automotive Industry (Cinae) from 2018 to 2022, 1,093 electric vehicles were sold in the country.
For Jaime Cucalón, president of the Ecuadorian Automotive Association (AEA), the change from fossil fuels to electric is the worldwide trend. “We believe that this will be the future of the automotive sector, traditional fuels will gradually disappear and we will all go to electric cars that are less polluting and therefore will be much better for the environment and the country,” said the leader. , who assured that the support of private companies is essential for the advancement of the supply of electric cars.
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He specifically referred to the support in the installation of charging stations of the Terpel company. Xavier Granda, Terpel Ecuador’s fuel manager, pointed out that the commitment to use sustainable energy demands the effort of the private sector, noting that Terpel broke the paradigm of thinking that electric power or electric cars are a competition for those who use or They sell fossil fuels.
“Today we sell energy as we know it, with liquid fuels, but tomorrow the provision of energy through electric vehicles will come and we consider that the natural place for charging and recharging an electric vehicle is also the station of service”, said Granda, who together with Cucalón attended the launch of a new electric vehicle in the country, the Marvel R of the British brand MG (Morris Garage), a second generation 100% electric SUV that this Saturday, January 14 undertook a trip on the Guayaquil-Quito route to test its autonomy of 400 kilometers.
The vehicle left from the Terpel station on Avenida de Las Américas, in Guayaquil, where the first fast charging electric station in the country was inaugurated in 2022; and it planned to arrive at the MG dealership, on Galo Plaza avenue in Quito, at 6:00 p.m. under the command of the pilots, former tennis player Andrés Gómez and journalist Andrés Jungbluth.
Daniel Wiener, general manager of Induwagen, representative of MG in Ecuador, indicated that the vehicle arrives at a price of $47,000 on the national market and highlighted the savings represented by electric vehicles, including the new MG Marvel R, compared to those of gasoline.
“The rate is 4 cents per kilowatt, and if this car has a 70-kilowatt battery, it means that the battery is filled with less than $3 and the autonomy is 400 kilometers and if you drive 20,000 kilometers per year you will spend about $200 or $300 a year, on gasoline cars you spend an average of $150 to $200 a month,” Wiener analyzed.
This is not the first electric vehicle to test its range with a similar ride. Last November the Kia EV6, with a range of 540 km, completed the Quito – Guayaquil route.
In this regard, Wiener clarified that the route that the Marvel R will cover will be “up” from Guayaquil to Quito. “Ours is more demanding, because it goes uphill,” she said.
In addition, companies such as DHL and Grupo Entregas (which represents FedEx in Ecuador) began a process to change their fleet to electric cars. In November Grupo Entregas together with BYD (Chinese automobile industry) announced the operation of its first electric van, which was the first step for the progressive change of its entire fleet. And DHL Express plans to invest €2 million in environmentally friendly vehicles to reduce CO2 emissions over the next ten years.
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While Mall del Sol announced the arrival of the first electric taxis of the 9 de Abril cooperative, which provides services in the shopping center. These are 100% electric vehicles also from the Chinese brand BYD.
However, Cucalón pointed out that in addition to the efforts of private companies, it is necessary for the Government to continue supporting what is necessary for the implementation of charging stations in the country. “That is what gives us the confidence to continue buying the different brands of electric cars,” said the president of AEA.
For his part, Granda announced that an electric station will open in Quito in the coming weeks and they plan to support coverage with more charging sites for the second half of 2023. “We have to connect Cuenca, the Ecuadorian coast, the cities and it is a process that we are going to go hand in hand with, they count on us… so that the impulse to electric mobility comes hand in hand with that satisfaction and that tranquility of that one has a recharging site throughout the country”. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
