Colombia EV Gross sales Report: Market Share Reaches 12.9% in December, Previous to Tesla’s Upcoming Tsunami

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Colombia’s EV market has been setting document after document recently, reaching 10% market share in November and rising to 12.9% (10.7% BEV) in December! Final month, EV gross sales reached an all-time excessive of three,905 models, 80% greater than a yr prior, and 60% above the earlier document from October 2025. A variety of these gross sales are straight associated to Bogota’s Vehicle Corridor of November 2025 and had been seemingly contracted that month but solely delivered in December, attributable to logistical points that delayed the transport of the automobiles from Buenaventura’s port to giant cities inland.

Extra importantly, this all-time excessive document is going on earlier than the arrival of probably the most inexpensive Tesla fashions on this planet! As we talked about in that article, Tesla has arrived at costs that put all competitors (ICEV, HEV, PHEV and BEV) at risk, and since most individuals round right here appear to not thoughts Elon Musk’s antics, it may nicely develop into the best-selling model within the nation in 2026. It was truly stated in November that lots of EV gross sales from Bogota’s Vehicle Corridor had been cancelled as soon as Tesla introduced costs, so the affect is already being felt.

Let’s take a look at the numbers!

Market overview

Colombia’s market, each in total gross sales and concerning EVs particularly, is very seasonal, with December gross sales generally doubling these of January from the identical yr and gross sales rising steadily all year long. 2025 was no exception. After a document in December 2024 (2,169 EVs being offered that month), gross sales fell in January to round 1,100 and wouldn’t high the earlier document till September 2025. After that, a brand new document can be set in October, after which once more in December, surpassing for the primary time the three,000-unit mark (and almost reaching 4,000):

Nonetheless, as a result of total gross sales additionally fluctuate, market share has remained comparatively steady. Regardless of decrease EV gross sales by the primary months of 2025, market share hovered round 8% till July 25, breaking the 9% milestone in September after which the ten% in November. Then got here December, surpassing 10% for the primary time ever and virtually reaching 13% whilst ICEV gross sales additionally boomed.

It’s price mentioning that EV gross sales stood at 9.1% (7.8% BEV, 1.5% PHEV) by all of 2025.

For a very long time, there was a roughly 80/20 relationship between BEVs and PHEVs within the Colombian market. This relationship broke as soon as extra inexpensive BEVs began to reach (most vital of all of the BYD Seagull and the BYD Yuan Up), turning into nearer to 90/10, with round 9 in each 10 EVs offered being a BEV. Nonetheless, due to the arrival of aggressive PHEVs (the Deepal S07 and S05) and the reducing of value for the BYD Tune DM-I, PHEVs are once more rising, recovering to between 15% and 20% of complete gross sales … however I imagine that this renaissance will probably be brief lived, as Tesla’s arrival will as soon as once more stack the deck in favour of BEVs:

However, after all, rising EV gross sales are of little assist if they don’t correlate with declining ICEV gross sales. At this level, I imagine we are able to begin forecasting a decline for combustion-only powertrains (ICEV+MHEV+HEV) in 2026 when in comparison with 2025. To trace this improvement, I made a decision to current yet one more chart together with complete gross sales, exhibiting the long-term development for combustion-only automobiles:

The outcomes had been extraordinarily fascinating. A protracted-term decline in automobile gross sales is seen after 2014’s all-time excessive, with small recoveries from 2017–2019 and 2020–2022. Nonetheless, even after a decade, the market continues to be removed from the numbers it reached in 2014.

The final interval of restoration, after 2023’s semi-conductor disaster, has seen the rising affect of EV gross sales — although, the speedy development in these years meant ICEV and HEV gross sales additionally grew. By 2026, additional development within the total market is anticipated (round 10%), which, at present ranges, means EV gross sales would want to double to trigger a disruption giant sufficient to trigger combustion-only powertrains to fall. I feel that is fully doable, extra in order yet one more tsunami of aggressive EVs is touchdown in Colombia, together with the best-selling Geely Geome (which can arrive at $22,000 at present change charges) and naturally the Tesla Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y. If I’m right, 2026 will deliver forth a brand new age of decline for combustion-only automobiles, solely this time will probably be everlasting.

Model-wise, BYD sustains the management place in December, but it surely now accounts for “solely” for 47% of the market, dropping share as different aggressive corporations arrive in drive. Chery gained silver due to its very fashionable ICar 03, an SUV with an in-your-face design that throws away any concern for effectivity to current a rugged exterior, one thing that has clearly gained over Colombian shoppers (additionally, its inexpensive sticker value doesn’t harm). BMW has the bronze due to a comparatively inexpensive lineup for a luxurious automaker, and one thing fascinating is that, so far as I can see, most of its EVs come from Europe not from China, making it a bastion for Legacy Auto in growing markets. Notable mentions for GAC and Changan/Deepal, two manufacturers which can be getting into the nation in full drive and quickly gaining traction, and to Chevrolet, which has had vital success with its Spark EUV and Captiva EV, even when they’re comparatively overpriced in contrast with different Chinese language automobiles. In the meantime, Kia, the previous poster youngster for Legacy Auto, has been relegated to #10 as extra aggressive options erode EV3 and EV5 gross sales.

Unsurprisingly, the most-sold mannequin in December was the BYD Yuan Up, adopted by the BYD Seagull. In third place we discover the Chery ICar 03, adopted by yet one more two BYD fashions (Tune and Yuan Plus). Within the second half of the desk we discover outdated leaders such because the Volvo EX30 in addition to younger contenders such because the Deepal S07 and S05 and the GAC Aion UT and Aion V.

By way of 2025, BYD retains the gold (once more with 47% market share), with BMW in second place and Volvo in third. The rising stars of Chery, Changan, and Deepal seem at #4, #6, and #8, whereas Legacy Auto has Kia at #5 and Chevrolet at #7.

Mannequin-wise, we now have the very same podium (Yuan Up, Seagull, ICar 03), noting that the ICar 03 managed to get there regardless of solely being accessible half of the yr. Following come the BYD Yuan Plus and the Volvo EX30, with the now fading Kia EV5 in 6^th place. Notable mentions for the growing old BYD Tune, which has gained recognition due to vital reductions on its new mannequin; the Deepal S07 and S05; and the lately arrived BYD Sealion.

Closing ideas

It’s good to see EVs rising, however what we actually need to see is combustion automobiles falling, and on this sense, Colombia’s market has introduced excellent news since 2014. We’re considerably under the ICEV peak, and since I anticipate combustion-only powertrains to additional decline in 2026, I feel we may be sure these ranges won’t ever come again.

Has this impacted gas consumption? Nicely, it’s laborious to inform, because the market has been distorted by subsidies after the pandemic, which had been lifted for gasoline in 2023 (leading to 84 million fewer gallons being offered, -5%, between 2023 and 2025), however which stay for diesel (since a strike from truck homeowners led to the federal government backtracking on the phaseout). Consumption for diesel has thus risen by 126 million gallons between 2023–25, that means total street gas consumption continues to be up, although by a mere 42 million gallons, or 1%, within the final 2 years. Nonetheless, since not less than a part of this goes to cocaine processing, it could be we’re move “peak street gas” in Colombia.

But not all the things is sweet information. Colombia’s motorbike section is booming, with our nation becoming a member of the “1 million membership” this yr after reaching that variety of bikes offered by 2025, principally from native manufacturing … and 99.5% of these had been ICEVs. 4-wheeled automobiles are simply disrupted in our market since we now have little trade to guard, however bikes are a more durable nut to crack, and since imports have centered on hyper-affordable gentle mopeds (which aren’t registered), the motorbike market stays the final stronghold of the interior combustion engine. The excellent news is that bikes final a lot shorter than 4-wheelers, so as soon as they electrify, the fleet ought to change a lot quicker.

Charging stations are additionally lagging EV gross sales. It’s now crucial for brand new EV homeowners to have an answer to cost of their properties. Although, fortunately, it’s turning into more and more frequent to see installations within the parking spots beneath buildings (one thing extraordinarily vital since Colombia is a rustic of flats). Travelling will also be a problem, specifically throughout holidays, as I’ve personally nowseen 5 automobiles painfully ready to make use of the one 50kW charger accessible at a charging station. Colombia’s authorities has no plans to publicly fund EV chargers, however the excellent news is that the non-public sector is reacting quickly, but it surely’s pure that they’ll lag EV gross sales since this may imply greater utilization charges and, thus, higher earnings.

We’re nonetheless ready for the affect that Tesla’s arrival can have in the marketplace. On December 29^th, an area outlet reported that the primary Mannequin 3 are already at Buenaventura’s port, and can seemingly be delivered in January, however we in all probability gained’t know the way the general market behaves till March. My massive hope is that Tesla will set off yet one more value warfare, this time one that may embrace ICEVs and HEVs, and that in the long run, it’s solely EVs that may be capable of go down sufficient to compete, thus bringing forth an age of cleaner, greener transportation.