Having inadequate infrastructure is the main barrier to electromobility in Mexico, according to specialists during the Logistics and Last Mile Transport Technology panel at LATAM Mobility & Net Zero Mexico 2024 , where they analyzed all the challenges that sustainable mobility brings with it .
In that sense, leaders of companies such as Mercado Libre , Huawei Digital Power Latin America , Estafeta and more offered their perspectives on how to overcome the barriers of infrastructure, regulation and organizational culture to adopt electric fleets .
Ernesto Tatay, District Director at Estafeta, highlighted that one of the biggest obstacles is the lack of charging infrastructure that guarantees safety for operators.
“The main barriers we see have to do with the paradigm shift and the ability to have adequate charging stations, security of spare parts, pieces, training of mechanics, is another barrier,” Tatay explained.
He also mentioned that while the initial cost of electric vehicles is high, in the long term it can result in significant savings. However, access to charging stations in remote areas remains a critical limitation.
For his part, José Milla, director of Transportation at Mercado Libre, highlighted that although large cities such as Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey are making progress in infrastructure, there are still regions in the country where this technology is inaccessible.
“At Mercado Libre we already have one of the largest electric fleets in Latin America, but we need more charging stations to keep up with the pace of growth required by e-commerce,” Milla said.
Along the same lines, Santiago Canales, regional vice president of Motive , pointed out that the use of data will be key to the success of the transition towards electromobility.
“Technology should not only serve to replace the fossil fuel-based model, but also to improve operational efficiency. It is necessary to use data to optimize routes and reduce the number of vehicles in circulation,” Canales said.
Meanwhile, Francisco Cabeza Santillana, Commercial Director of EV Chargers at Huawei Digital Power Latin America , also highlighted the importance of technology and gave the example of the company he represents, since according to him they are developing fast charging solutions .
“They can reduce operating costs by 30%, which is crucial for business models based on electric fleets to be sustainable,” Santillana explained.
Also, Fausto López, CEO and founding partner of Yutong Guadalajara , emphasized that it is necessary to continue promoting the culture of electromobility in the country .
“There is a fear of change and a lack of knowledge about the technologies available. What we need is to demonstrate, through pilot projects and tests, that electric mobility is viable and profitable in the long term,” López said.
They also agreed that despite the challenges, electromobility in Mexico has a promising future.
“The last mile is the sector where electromobility can have the greatest impact, both in reducing carbon emissions and noise pollution. However, closer collaboration between the public and private sectors is needed for this to happen,” said José Milla.
Regarding government incentives , the panelists said that this is a key factor for the transition to electromobility. They called for public policies to offer more incentives for companies that opt for electric mobility.
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