This expanded report complements the original market analysis by adding a comprehensive section on EV charging infrastructure in Uruguay. It is written for domestic charging station operators, installers, equipment distributors and related stakeholders and provides: national policy context; current distribution and technical characteristics of chargers; profiles of typical installers/operators; customer needs and behaviour; business models; siting and rollout guidance; technical and grid considerations; standards and interoperability; operations & maintenance (O&M) best practices; and practical, near-term recommendations.
•Uruguay’s rapid BEV growth (up to ~24% BEV market share, August) creates both immediate demand for residential and destination charging and a rising need for higher‑power public DC fast charging along major corridors. •The current public network is dominated by small-capacity AC chargers (many 22 kW, often without tethered cables) with mostly single or dual connectors and very few (>60 kW) DC fast chargers. This suggests urgent opportunities for DC fast rollout, fleet charging, and workplace charging programs. •Operators and installers should prioritize reliability, clear pricing, convenient payment/roaming, and visible uptime reporting to capture customers’ trust in a rapidly growing market.
•Uruguay’s high gasoline prices and mature electricity sector (UTE as national utility) are major demand drivers for EV adoption. Fiscal incentives, import tariff treatment, and any procurement rules for government fleets will shape charging deployment economics. The national utility’s active role in station deployment has been critical to date. •Recommended actions for policymakers to accelerate robust network growth: ￮Publish a national EV charging strategy with clear targets (e.g., chargers per 100 EVs by year). ￮Standardize permitting and grid-connection timelines across municipalities (single-window permitting). ￮Establish minimum uptime, interoperability and payment-standards for publicly funded chargers. ￮Offer targeted CAPEX support (co‑funding) for DC fast chargers along highways and in underserved regions.
Operators/installers should track: •Grid-connection approval rules and tariffs for distributed resources; time-of-use (ToU) or demand charges; metering rules for public chargers. •Equipment certification/ safety standards (e.g., IEC 61851, IEC 62196 for connectors). Even if local standards are limited, adherence to international standards is a market differentiator. •Data privacy and payment regulation: rules on customer data, PCI compliance for payments, and invoicing for commercial operations.
•Concentration in urban centers and along main transport corridors, with many sites hosting 1–2 connectors. Most public chargers observed are 22 kW AC (Type 2) and often untethered. •Very limited availability of DC fast charging (>50 kW), and no observed stations above ~60 kW as of this report. This creates a gap for long-distance travel and fleet operations.
•Residential charging (Wallboxes, 3–7 kW or single‑phase 7.4 kW): Primary for overnight charging. Installers should design for safe earthing, load management, and easy future upgrades. •Workplace and destination AC charging (11–22 kW): Useful for multi-hour dwell times (shopping, offices). Prefer tethered Type 2 cables where possible to increase usability. •Public DC fast charging (50–150+ kW): Required for corridor charging and quick top-ups—critical as BEV share scales beyond early adopters. •Fleet charging (dedicated AC/DC): High duty cycles need depot chargers with higher power and smart charging management.
•Ramp up in-networked chargers with remote monitoring (OCPP-compatible backends), real-time availability, and fault alerts. OCPP compatibility is a must for flexibility and roaming integration.
•Small electrical contractors: Local presence, strong at residential and low-voltage AC installations. Strengths: local permitting knowledge, flexible pricing. Gaps: experience with high-voltage DC equipment, integration with OCPP backends. •Specialist EV charging integrators: Focus on commercial and DC installations; typically handle procurement, civil works, electrical, and software integration. •Utility/large energy firms (UTE and affiliates): Strong grid knowledge, capital access, and ability to deploy across regions. Training and certification needs: •HV safety training (DC hazards), certification on inverter/charger-specific service, OCPP and backend management, and basic cybersecurity practices (secure remote access, certificate management).
•Utility-operated network: Strong in coverage and grid coordination; may be slower commercially but trusted by users. •Private commercial operators: Focus on retail locations, shopping centers, and high-utilization urban spots; agile pricing and marketing. •Retail/host-operated models: Chargers owned/operated by property owners (shopping centers, hotels) often with third-party maintenance. Competitive advantages for operators: - Superior uptime & maintenance service level agreements (SLAs). - Transparent pricing and easy payment options (contactless, apps, RFID). - Partnerships with automakers, fleet managers and municipalities.
•Residential owners: Expect reliability, safety, and low cost. Most will charge overnight; smart charging to avoid peak tariffs is valuable. •Urban drivers / destination users: Need convenience (tethered cables), short dwell-time charging (22 kW+), and real-time station availability. •Long-distance travelers: Require DC fast chargers along major corridors (min 50–150 kW) with amenities at stops (restroom, food). •Fleet operators / taxis / ride-hail: Need high reliability, reserved scheduling, overnight depot charging and potentially higher power levels.
•Clear, upfront pricing (€/kWh or €/min), uptime guarantees, simple payments (card/phone/RFID), and visible station status in apps. •Physical design: sheltered parking, clear signage, cable management, lighting, and security cameras.
Typical models and where they fit in Uruguay:
Utility-led public good model (UTE-style): Focus on nationwide coverage, often subsidized. Best for corridor and rural coverage where ROI is low.
Retail-hosted, merchant-operated: Charging as an amenity; revenue through charging fees and increased dwell purchases.
Fleet/depot charging contracts: Recurring revenue from fleet operators with bespoke SLAs and availability guarantees.
Revenue levers: kWh sales, idle/parking fees, subscription plans, advertising/partner fees at site, and energy flexibility markets in future.
Pricing approaches: Simple kWh pricing (best for customer clarity) or time-based where kWh metering is unavailable. Consider per-minute surcharge for slow AC to discourage long parking at limited spots.
Score potential sites by: expected dwell time, visibility/access, grid capacity & interconnection cost, land/parking cost, nearby amenities, safety and municipality support. High-priority categories: - Urban shopping malls & supermarkets (destination charging). - Multi-family residential buildings (home charging solutions & shared infrastructure). - Highway nodes every ~80–120 km with 150 kW+ DC chargers for intercity travel. - Fleet depots and taxi ranks.
•Start with mixed-power sites: 1–2 DC fast chargers (100 kW min) + several 22 kW AC posts for destination charging where expected mix of long- and short-dwell customers exists. •Use modular DC fast chargers (containerized or skids) to scale as usage grows.
•Early engagement with UTE and municipalities reduces timeline risk. Perform geotechnical & trenching surveys up front and plan for cable routes and switchgear rooms.
Map demand vs. existing supply: Use sales growth (e.g., August BEV share ~24%) to prioritize urban densification and highway DC sites. Upgrade to a small number of high-impact corridor sites with 100–150 kW DC chargers (modular, networked, with sheltered parking and amenities). Standardize customer experience: tethered Type 2 on AC posts, transparent pricing per kWh, OCPP backend and multiple payment options. Form public-private partnerships: co-fund lower-ROI corridor chargers with UTE and municipalities to ensure network continuity. Invest in smart charging & local storage to reduce grid upgrade costs and enable time-of-use arbitrage. Upskill workforce: deliver 6–12 month training programs for EV high-voltage work and backend systems. Pilot V2G / vehicle-as-resource programs with fleets where regulatory framework allows; start with small pilots to test economics.
This expanded section is designed to be integrated into the original market report as a standalone chapter on charging infrastructure. It is actionable for operators, installers and distributors seeking to enter or scale in Uruguay’s fast-evolving EV market. The recommendations are intentionally practical — prioritizing immediate high-impact interventions (corridor DC chargers, workplace charging, improved UX) while building toward more advanced services (V2G, energy optimization) as the market matures.
Currently, Anari Energy's(www.anariev.com) products have entered the South American market, with Castor DC Series, Vulco DC Series, and Gaia AC Series installed in Peru and El Salvador respectively, receiving positive reviews from operator/installer customers. You can visit these regions to experience the features of Anari Energy chargers on-site. If you would like our products to enter your country, please contact us.
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