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Representative Víctor Parés Otero from District 4 (San Juan) is set to meet with Edwin González Montalvo, the appointed head of the Department of Transportation and Public Works (known as DTOP in Spanish), in the coming days to evaluate advancements in a program designed to implement charging stations for electric vehicles along Puerto Rico’s most frequented roadways.
“Creating a supportive infrastructure, especially for charging, is vital to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles in Puerto Rico,” Parés, who leads the House Government Committee, stated on Monday. “We believe that annual sales of these vehicles will significantly rise if a comprehensive charging network is established, as one doesn’t yet exist fully. The appointed DTOP secretary has been proactive in turning this network into a reality, and we seek his insights to find ways to accelerate the process within the House of Representatives.”
Parés made these remarks after a report from the United Group of Auto Importers revealed that 1,356 electric vehicles were sold in 2024, representing a 36.5% decline from 2,136 vehicles sold in 2023.
“We recognize that a primary reason for the drastic decrease in sales is the absence of infrastructure,” the legislator commented. “Thus, in addition to assessing the status of ongoing projects, we intend to explore the potential for proposing legislation that promotes the use of electric vehicles, emphasizing the importance of the charging network.”
“Moreover, we will look into the incentive of tax exemptions on the acquisition of electric and hybrid vehicles, as this currently constitutes up to 10 percent of the market each year,” he continued. “That is an objective we have yet to fulfill.”
The initial phase of the project, approved by the Federal Highway Commission, concentrates on establishing charging stations along highways PR-52 from San Juan to Ponce, PR-2 from Ponce to Hatillo, and PR-22 from Hatillo to San Juan. This phase has already received funding and is presently in the permitting process.
For the subsequent phase, the Highway and Transportation Authority has suggested state highways PR-3, PR-53, PR-54, and PR-66.
