Bringing EVs to Central America through strategic partnerships

By Daniel Bland- October 12, 2022

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The transportation industry is a major contributor to pollution in Central America, accounting for at least half the harmful CO2 emissions in the region, but what can we do about it?

“To wean Central America’s dependency from oil and the internal combustion engine (ICE), electric vehicles (EV) drastically need to be introduced in the region,” Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) President Dante Mossi told Global Fleet in Honduras just before a business trip to Washington DC.

To accomplish the bank’s zero emission goal by 2030 which entails having only hybrids or full-electric vehicles, CABEI (or BCIE in?Spanish) is committed to providing US$1 billion in annual funding in the coming years to help its member countries achieve their development goals.

Search for US Companies?

Although the bank does business with companies from various countries, “it is having a lot of good dialog with the United States right now, even speaking with Secretary of state Antony Blinken and US presidential envoy for climate John Kerry and signing an MOU with them,” said Mr. Mossi, highlighting that the bank is rated AA by Standard & Poor’s, the best in the region.

The bank wants to promote the transition to more sustainable and climate friendly mobility solutions in Central America in partnership with US companies. As such, CABEI is hosting the 2022 Business Forum “Introducing Electric Mobility in Central America”. It will take place in Washington DC on November 21, 2022.

According to the bank executive, Central America is very agricultural, and many clients are asking for producers to be more sustainable or to say “greener”. Besides taxi unions and public buses, some of the EVs in high demand are delivery trucks for refrigerated fleets that carry meat and dairy products as well as standard motorcycles for small-scale farmers. See more here...