A third fast charge station for electric cars was inaugurated in Asunción this month. It is located at the Enex petrol station on San Martín Avenue. This is the seventh electric fast charging station in the country and the second one inaugurated by Enex.
“This fast charging station will greatly support the development of electromobility in the country”, said Rodrigo Maluff, Vice Minister of Commerce and Services during the inauguration:
Electric cars in Paraguay
Paraguay is among the few nations globally where 100% of energy is derived from renewable sources. Its three hydroelectric dams enable the country to supply electricity to its entire population, with surplus capacity exported to Brazil and Argentina. Moreover, Paraguay boasts some of the world’s lowest energy prices, at US$0.050 per kWh for residential properties and US$0.042 per kWh for businesses. This creates an ideal environment for the growth of the electric vehicle industry.
According to the International Energy Agency, the use of electric vehicles will grow from less than 45 million (by 2023) to 250 million by 2030, and 525 million by 2035 around the world.
Javier Díaz, President of the Paraguayan Association of Electric Vehicles (APVE), said to a local newspaper that the trend is being replicated in the country. For him, Paraguay is positioning itself as one of the pioneers in the adoption of electric vehicles in Latin America.
“It is estimated that there are currently around 2,000 electric vehicles in circulation in Paraguay,” said Díaz. “A number that continues to increase at an annual rate of 23%.” Nowadays, up to 18 different brands of electric vehicles can be found in the country.
Future of electric transportation
Pablo Pascuali, Business Manager of Chinese electric vehicles brand BYD Paraguay, calls the future of electric cars in Paraguay promising. What helps is the proximity of the important cities, low electricity prices, and technological advances. It will likely prompt more than half of Paraguay’s population to choose an electric car.
In 2022, the law on Incentives and Promotion of Electric Transport in Paraguay, was approved. This will facilitate the installation of 72 fast charging stations in different cities. The goal is to steadily overcome the actual barriers to the development of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Complementing these efforts, Paraguay is also enhancing its infrastructure with the introduction of 30 Electric buses from Taiwan.
