The Middle of the World Monument, in Quito, was one of the symbolic places visited by a caravan of electric cars traveling the Andean route through 37 cities in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, between September 4 and 9. This tour, carried out by users of electric cars – grouped in the Latin American Association for Sustainable Mobilization (Alamos), the Ecuadorian Association for Electric and Sustainable Mobility (Asecmovel) and the Latin American Energy Organization (Olade) – seeks to put at the center of the debate on electric mobility, its benefits and advantages.

As part of the route, the “International Forum on Electric Mobility” was held in Ecuador this Wednesday, where topics such as technology development, car supply and infrastructure were discussed. The discussion was held at the offices of Olada, in the north of Quito, under the leadership of Esteban Albornoz, former Minister of Electricity and Asecmovel.

Electrified vehicles have grown by 44% in sales and already have a 9% market share

According to Silvia Rojas, the director of Alamos, routes with electric cars have gained momentum in recent months when the routes in Central America are already operated at five borders. In Costa Rica, his home country, 100% electric cars now account for 11% of the market. And the route in the South Cone is already being planned. The way these vehicles can progress without charging problems is through the network of fast charging stations that exist along the route established and provided by the organizers.

The idea is for users to see the advancement of technology and dispel certain myths that exist about this type of car, including that there aren’t many charging options, that they are very small, or that they don’t have good power. . Instead, he assured that loading is easy because it is done from home at a lower cost than fossil fuels. In addition, the performance of this type of car per charge can be 700 kilometers, while previous technologies did not exceed 300 kilometers. As for the batteries, he explained that they have a lifespan of several years and that the car is written off sooner due to the wear of the body, not the battery.

Rojas pointed out that users who have this type of vehicle, be it cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles or bicycles, change their quality of life with a better environmental impact on air and noise problems. And that the cost of using this type of electric vehicle, compared to gasoline ones, is much cheaper and that is why the business sector has a great interest in converting their transportation to electric energy.

Meanwhile, Genaro Baldeón, from the Association of Automobile Companies of Ecuador (Aeade), commented that today’s society demands sustainable mobility. In this sense, car companies are working, investing and exploring ways to meet this new approach. Private companies are renewing their fleets for cars that pollute the environment less. Something similar, albeit to a lesser extent, can be seen in the public sector.

He assures that the sale of plug-in cars, i.e. 100% electric, has grown from 80 to 450 in a few years. This year alone, more than twice as many were sold as last year. Additionally, there are currently a total of 7,200 electrified (hybrid) vehicles. That figure from January to August represents 10 percent of the market, he assured. Several brands in the country have announced that they will already have an all-electric portfolio by 2030 and 2035.

Regarding the issue of logistics, Baldeón explained that there are about 107 charging stations, most of which come from car companies. In the coming months, it will increase by another 200 points. However, he recognized that, on the other hand, the public sector is highly degraded. He commented that in Ecuador there is currently an offer of at least 50 models of 100% electric vehicles and 112 models between electric and hybrid. This is quite a significant share, compared to the 550 models that exist on the market.

Several users who use electric cars and participate in the Andean route of electromobility were in Quito. Photo: Olade

Andrés Rebolledo, Executive Secretary of Olade, shared his vision on the challenges of decarbonization in the transport sector in Latin America and the Caribbean, the training of electromobility professionals, the experiences of electric transport from the user’s point of view and the scope of possible work towards the regional goal of sustainable mobility.

In his participation, the Minister of Transport and Public Works, César Rohon, expressed that electromobility projects should be promoted through tourism, as well as avoid pollution by promoting new innovative technologies.

For her part, Lorena Sigüenza, dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Cuenca, highlighted the academic sector’s promotion of the development of sustainable mobility and the advantages of electromobility for professionals.

This September 7, a similar event will be held at the University of Cuenca, and later it will continue its journey to Peru.