Mexicans Save Big with Electric Cars

Guadalajara, Mexico — The debate over whether electric vehicles can replace internal combustion vehicles has gained strength, particularly in a context where sales of this type of automobile are increasing. In July 2025 alone, 10,612 hybrid and electric vehicles were sold in the country, of which 911 units were acquired in Jalisco, according to data from the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA). Although the figure represents an annual increase of 6.18 percent, the transition towards fully electric mobility still faces significant challenges.

For Ehecatl Joel Chávez Martínez, coordinator of the Engineering in Electromobility and Autotronics program at the University of Guadalajara's Center for Exact Sciences and Engineering (CUCEI), speaking of an immediate replacement is premature, as the lack of infrastructure to guarantee charging and the duration of long trips still limits their use.

A Process of "Replacement"

On World Electric Vehicle Day, observed on September 9, the UdeG specialist notes that replacing traditional vehicles "is a somewhat strong concept; because traditional vehicles, when we talk about internal combustion vehicles, we are talking about a fuel that is very energy dense, meaning gasoline has much more energy than a battery does right now."

Even so, the specialist acknowledges that in certain contexts, electric vehicles are already viable. For urban mobility, he says, it is a feasible medium. For example, an internal combustion vehicle on average has between 600 and 800 kilometers of autonomy, and an electric vehicle, on average, has between 200 and 400 kilometers. If the commute is from home to work and back, the electric vehicle becomes a much more viable option due to cost.

One of the clearest advantages, he specifies, is the savings in operating costs. For every 100 kilometers traveled, an electric vehicle costs an average of 72 pesos; while for those same 100 kilometers, an internal combustion vehicle can cost up to 424 pesos. That is where the advantages begin to be noticed, he stated.

Furthermore, owners enjoy tax benefits: "If you have an electric vehicle, you do not pay the ISAN tax, which ranges from 2 to 15 percent of the vehicle's cost; also, depending on the state, you do not pay tenencia or refrendo. For example, here in Jalisco, these are things you save."

Investment and Family Savings

Melissa Álvarez and her family are a testament to the benefits. About a year ago, they decided to incorporate an electric vehicle into their daily lives and shortly after added another. The experience, she assures, has exceeded their expectations:

"In my house, we have been using the electric car for about a year… we decided to use it because it seemed the most viable option to us; although it was an investment, we believed that in the long run it is much more economical than spending on gasoline, especially because of the distances we travel."

The monthly expense on fuel was one of the main motivations for taking the step. Her sister, who daily traveled from Tlajomulco to downtown Guadalajara, spent around three thousand pesos a month on gasoline. With the electric car, the story changed.

"When we didn't have the solar panels, we paid about 1,200 pesos, which included both the car's charge and the house's consumption; for the increase in energy from the car, it was about 400 pesos bimonthly, and now with the solar panels, the bill comes to about 90 pesos, 120."

The installation of solar panels in their home was a second step that increased savings and practically eliminated the energy expense:

"At first, we only had it connected to the regular house electricity, and afterwards, since the savings were very noticeable, we decided to install solar panels and now what arrives on the electricity bill is almost nil."

According to her calculations, the investment made in the panels will be recovered in just over a year thanks to what they stopped spending on gasoline. The operation of the vehicle has not presented complications. The dealership installs the charging equipment at home and the process is similar to that of a cell phone: "If the battery is at zero, it takes about seven hours to charge, but if it already has a charge, it's ready in two hours. It has an autonomy between 300 and 400 kilometers, enough for the city," shares Melissa.

In a year of intensive use, they have not faced any breakdowns: "We have not had any mechanical issues, no. And the truth is that we have driven the car quite hard because the distances are very long."

Although she acknowledges that electric cars still present limitations for long trips outside the city, for daily life in Guadalajara she considers them an investment that combines economy and sustainability.

Cost and Infrastructure, the Challenges

Infrastructure is the most important factor: there must be charging stations distributed throughout the city, just as there are gas stations. Therefore, this is one of the major obstacles for Mexicans to adopt electromobility. "If I have an electric vehicle and I still have good autonomy, but if my battery runs out and there is nowhere to recharge it, that is a problem," he points out.

Currently, both private and government projects, including those promoted by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) with so-called "electrolineras," seek to address this need, although they are still insufficient.

The acquisition price is another point that limits the mass adoption of electric cars:

"The cost of vehicles right now is a bit high if we compare. If you take an electric vehicle with a certain autonomy and compare it with an internal combustion vehicle of the same autonomy, the internal combustion vehicle is cheaper."

However, the academic recalled that this same situation occurred in the early days of combustion automobiles at the beginning of the 20th century, when very few people could afford to buy one of these vehicles, only the richest and most powerful had them, but the cost went down.

Currently, an important factor is competition:

"For example, when the VW ID vehicles entered Mexico, all the companies selling electric cars lowered their prices quite a bit."

Currently, the cheapest electric model on the Mexican market is around 280,000 pesos, while an internal combustion vehicle can be found from 75,000 or 100,000 pesos. However, as supply increases, prices will tend to decrease:

"Right now, initially, to acquire them, you do need a certain economic level, but this will be reduced over time, just as happened with computers. What we need is more supply and more infrastructure for prices to drop."

Inevitable Change

Despite current difficulties, the specialist believes that the change towards electromobility will be inevitable, as the global trend will set the course.

"I believe the transition will happen. If you analyze globally, most countries, for example in Europe, are now transitioning to electric vehicles (…) I think it will be the norm worldwide," he states.

The academic emphasized that the transition should not only focus on the purchase of automobiles, but on the training of professionals who drive technological development in the country: "Beyond infrastructure and materials, what we need most right now are engineers, trained people to build all these infrastructure networks that we need. Here we have the advantage that it is the moment for Mexico to develop its own technologies. Right now we can compete maybe, if not equally, at least on par in the specific situations of our reality. I think it is the time to start and what is needed most are engineers."

Progress in Mexico

The transition towards more sustainable mobility is advancing in Mexico, although unevenly between states. According to figures from the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA), during 2024, 24,290 electric vehicles were sold in the country, while so far in 2025 the figure stands at 10,889 units.

In Jalisco, the sale of this type of automobile reached 1,520 units in 2024 and 861 in 2025, placing the state in fourth national position in sales, according to data provided by the AMIA to MILENIO.

The Institute of Statistical and Geographic Information (IIEG) detailed that, based on the latest AMIA report, the entities where the most electric and hybrid vehicles are sold are Mexico City and the State of Mexico, while Nayarit records the least activity in this market.

If the indicator of electric vehicles sold per million inhabitants is measured, Mexico City leads with 294.9 units registered in July 2025; followed by Nuevo León and the State of Mexico. Jalisco occupies fourth place, with 102.3 units per million inhabitants. In contrast, the states with the least penetration in this area are Chiapas (17.4 units) and Guerrero (15.2 units).

The infrastructure for charging these vehicles also shows a territorial concentration. The Ministry of Energy reveals that in Jalisco there are around 250 public chargers. In the metropolitan area, the municipalities with the most charging stations are Guadalajara, Zapopan, Tlaquepaque and Puerto Vallarta, where they are located mainly in shopping centers such as Andares, Plaza del Sol and Galerías Guadalajara; universities such as ITESO and the University of Guadalajara, as well as in parking lots of private initiatives.

Furthermore, mobile applications such as PlugShare, ChargePoint and Electromaps have become indispensable allies for users, as they allow locating available stations in real time and facilitate route planning.

The growth of electric mobility in Jalisco reflects a change in consumption habits in urban and tourist areas, although it still faces challenges such as the cost of vehicles and the need to expand the charging network to consolidate its daily use. The transition towards electromobility is advancing slowly but surely.