Electric Vehicle Adoption Stuck Due to Lack of Charging Infrastructure
Mexico has a base of electric vehicle (EV) users, but the country still lacks the necessary charging infrastructure for widespread adoption. The Global EV Driver Survey 2025, conducted by the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association, included responses from 27,534 EV drivers in 30 countries, including Mexico for the first time.
According to the study, 92% of Mexican drivers consider climate change a very serious problem. Moreover, 61% believe that Mexico needs new policies and incentives to boost EV sales, surpassing the 46% global average. However, the main obstacle isn’t policy but charging.
Mexico’s Charging Concerns
The primary barrier for Mexico is the lack of on-road charging opportunities (86%), significantly higher than the global average of 32%. While globally, the dominant obstacle remains persistent myths and misinformation about EVs (77% global), this factor weighs less in Mexico at 50%.
“While globally, the main obstacle to adopting an EV is the persistence of myths and misinformation, in Mexico, the conversation takes a different turn. One of the main challenges in the country is the lack of on-road charging opportunities,” according to the study.
Payment Methods and Road Signage
The survey results indicate that most Mexican EV users are concerned about charging during long trips and plan their charging stops beforehand, with agreement levels significantly higher than the global average. This suggests that for many, driving an EV in Mexico still requires thinking ahead, unlike conventional gasoline cars where fuel can be resolved on the go.
The study also highlights a set of minimum conditions that EV drivers are requesting from the charging ecosystem. One of them is payment standardization. In Mexico, a majority strongly agrees that direct bank card payments should be possible at charging stations in an environment where apps, registrations, and closed systems continue to add friction.
Another major demand is road signage. Mexican EV users support having clear highway signs for charging stations, similar to gasoline stations.
Positive User Experience
Despite this, the user experience is predominantly positive once someone enters electromobility. The study shows very high levels of satisfaction with EV ownership, with majorities expressing “very satisfied” or “satisfied,” and minimal dissatisfaction percentages.
This satisfaction coexists with an important detail: Only 26% of Mexican respondents report having only electric vehicles at home, compared to 48% globally. This means that even EV users still rely on a secondary vehicle (or backup) to cover scenarios where charging becomes uncertain.
Savings Over Price
The study also captures the reasons for purchasing electric cars in Mexico. The dominant factor is savings, with 63% choosing an EV for lower energy costs, surpassing the 45% global average.
Other factors like interest in new technologies (31%), local environmental benefits (21%), and lower maintenance costs (21%) appear as secondary reasons. The “competitive purchase price” ranks lower, reinforcing the idea that the bottleneck isn’t just financial but also infrastructure and experience.
The study shows that EV adoption in Mexico isn’t conditioned by price or user acceptance but rather by the absence of a charging network that allows using EVs with the same freedom as gasoline cars. Drivers value savings, acknowledge climate urgency, and report a positive experience, but they still treat EVs as “planned” vehicles limited by on-road charging uncertainty.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main challenge for electric vehicle adoption in Mexico? The primary obstacle is insufficient on-road charging opportunities, with 86% of Mexican EV drivers citing this issue.
- What concerns do Mexican EV users have regarding long trips? Most Mexican EV users plan their charging stops beforehand due to concerns about on-road charging availability.
- What are the demands of Mexican EV drivers from the charging ecosystem? Key requests include standardized payment methods and clear road signage for charging stations.
- What motivates Mexican consumers to buy electric vehicles? Savings from lower energy costs is the primary driver, with 63% of respondents citing this reason.
- How does user experience with electric vehicles in Mexico compare to the global average? Despite some challenges, user experience is predominantly positive in Mexico, with high levels of satisfaction among EV owners.
