2022 was a record year for the automotive sector in Ecuador. 139,517 vehicles were sold, the highest recorded value in the last 11 years – since 2011. This figure represents a growth of 16.9% compared to the same period of the previous year, according to statistics from the Association of Automobile Companies of Ecuador (Aeade).

Within all segments, electric cars were among the best performers. 405 units were sold, which is 16% more than those sold in 2021 (348 units). However, this growth was overshadowed by hybrid vehicles, which closed 2022 with 6,800 units sold, 59% more than 2021 when 4,280 were sold.

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This trend was also reflected in sales in the first quarter of 2023. 2,361 hybrids and 149 electric vehicles were sold.

In the case of electric cars, this represented a growth of 175.9% compared to sales in the same period in 2022, which amounted to 59 units. However, when it comes to hybrids, the statistics must now be divided into four sub-segments and five if 100% electric cars are included in that equation which are classified as electrified vehicles. Aeade started doing this in February this year.

These five subcategories are:

This specification has also started to be applied by the Chamber of the Ecuadorian Automobile Industry (Cinae). Its executive director David Molina explained that Ecuadorian regulations specify that an electric vehicle is one that is powered exclusively by an electric motor, or electric batteries; while hybrid vehicles share traction while moving through a combustion engine, but with electric batteries.

However, he indicated that there is a new technology that uses the fuel tank, but not to drive the vehicle’s engine, which is electric, but instead to charge the electric battery.

“With the current norm of Ecuador, they are electric vehicles, they qualify as electric vehicles and they enjoy all the incentives that electric vehicles have; however, from a much more technical and comparative perspective with what is happening in the laws of Europe and the rest of Latin America, these vehicles are not considered electric, but hybrids because they have a combustion engine,” explained Molina, who pointed out that in order not to distorted the statistics, they consider these vehicles to be hybrids and not electric, i.e. vehicles that do not produce exhaust gases and do not have an exhaust pipe.

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The best-selling type of electrified vehicle in the first quarter of the year is MHEV with 1,260 units, followed by HEV (731), EREV (287), BEV (149) and PHEV (83), which was the one with the highest sales growth compared to the first three month of 2022 by 336.8% more.

In total, all electrified vehicles recorded sales growth of 87.5% in the first quarter.

For his part, Genaro Baldeón, executive president of Aeada, highlighted the preparation of the catalog of electrified vehicles, which was compiled with the companies that make up the Association. The list includes 106 models of 16 brands that are currently available on the market.

Of those 106 models, 29 are BEVs, 3 are EREVs, 12 are PHEVs and 62 are from other subcategories.

Brands predict more hybrid and 100% electric models by 2023

The brands, for their part, plan to continue introducing more vehicles of this type to the Ecuadorian market.

For example, the Korean brand KIA which has hybrids K5, Stonic, Óptima, Niro in its catalog in Ecuador; and the 100% electric Soul EV, EV6; plans to introduce two new ecological models to the local market (100% electric hybrids), revealed José Antonio Errazuriz, commercial director of KIA Motors del Ecuador.

“Kia has been working on its sustainable mobility plan in recent years with the aim of including a total of 7 EVs – electric vehicles – in its global portfolio by 2025,” said the CEO, who pointed out that in 2022 they sold 2,552 electric vehicles and in the first quarter this year they sold 301 units.

Meanwhile, Corporación Maresa plans to bring a 100% electric Chery vehicle to the local market by the end of this year, Nicolás Buñay, Maresa product manager, revealed.

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The Chinese brand, which is distributed by Maresa in Ecuador, launched its Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV model at the August 2022 Autoshow, which has sold 31 units to date, according to Buñay, who indicated the company expects 2023 to be a record year. sales of hybrid vehicles are estimated at more than 1,500 units, while projections for electric vehicles are expected at 1% of the brand’s total portfolio sales this year.

Currently, the only 100% electric vehicle sold by Maresa is the Dongfeng RICH 6 EV van, which was sold in 36 units in 2022, while in the first quarter of this year they already sold 27, said Paola Ramírez, Dongfeng’s deputy brand manager.

Before the brand’s announcement that it will bring more electric models, Molina indicated that “it is possible, and it is natural, that the technology grows little by little”, but he also analyzed that customers’ preferences for hybrid vehicles are ahead of 100% electric ones due to the lack of infrastructure (electric station), which does not allow you to have a vehicle that can move outside the city”.