Joint analysis by C40 Cities and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) outlines practical pathways for emerging-market cities to scale charging infrastructure and accelerate electric mobility adoption
A new report launched by C40 Cities and the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), in collaboration with The Climate Pledge through the Laneshift Programme, and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), highlights how city and national governments in emerging economies can play a decisive role in accelerating the implementation of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The report, Market Analysis of Electric Vehicle (EV) Public Charging Infrastructure in Cities, analyses market trends, investment needs, regulatory frameworks and city-led initiatives across four countries: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and India.
The analysis comes at a critical moment for the global electric mobility transition. According to the International Energy Agency’s Global EV Outlook 2025, the global stock of public charging points has more than doubled since 2022, surpassing 5 million chargers worldwide, with around 1.3 million new public chargers added in 2024 alone, representing an annual growth of more than 30% in the past five years. Projections show continued rapid growth in electric mobility over the next decade, with investment requirements for EV charging infrastructure across the four markets estimated to reach approximately USD 3.8 billion by 2035 (USD 1.9 billion in India, USD 980 million in Brazil, USD 760 million in Mexico and USD 184 million in Colombia).
Despite this rapid progress, deployment remains highly uneven, particularly across emerging economies where affordability, reliability and access to charging infrastructure continue to constrain EV adoption. Investments in charging infrastructure assets targeting personal mobility face the risk of slower-than-expected EV uptake, leading to lower utilization, revenues, and delayed profitability. This can lead to weak returns on investment and deters investors from investing in this sector.
The report finds that the rapid growth in electric vehicle adoption is creating unprecedented demand for charging infrastructure across both mature and emerging markets. In Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and India, EV uptake has expanded dramatically since 2021, driven by improving model availability, supportive policy frameworks, and declining technology costs. Across the four countries, sales grew from around 40,000 vehicles in 2021 to approximately 1.08 million vehicles in 2025, representing an annual growth rate of nearly 130%. By 2025, EVs accounted for approximately 6.5% of new vehicle sales in Brazil, 5.9% in Colombia, 6.2% in Mexico, and 3.7% in India.
Veronica Nyhan Jones, Global Manager Climate Partnerships and Cross Sector Expertise, International Finance Corporation (IFC), said:
“Electric vehicle adoption is accelerating rapidly across emerging markets, but sustaining this momentum will depend on whether charging infrastructure can scale at the same pace. Expanding reliable and accessible charging networks is essential not only for consumer confidence, but also for unlocking private investment and supporting long-term economic growth. This report shows that with the right policy frameworks, strong city leadership and targeted financing solutions, there are substantial potential investment opportunities on which emerging economies can build the infrastructure needed to support the next generation of sustainable urban mobility and jobs.”
The report also highlights the significant expansion of charging infrastructure across the four countries over the past five years. India reached approximately 30,000 public charging points by 2025; Brazil, approximately 17,000; Mexico, approximately 4,000; and Colombia, approximately 700. Yet despite this progress, charging infrastructure remains heavily concentrated in major metropolitan areas and economic hubs, underscoring the need for broader and more equitable geographic expansion to support large-scale EV adoption.
Meeting the next phase of electric mobility growth will require a major acceleration in charging deployment over the coming decade. The report projects that the total number of public chargers across the four countries will increase to approximately 359,000 units by 2035, including around 214,000 public chargers in India, 86,000 in Brazil, 40,000 in Mexico and 19,000 in Colombia, representing an investment opportunity of USD 3.8 billion+ over the next ten years.
Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, said:
“Cities are already leading the transition to electric mobility by turning ambition into practical action, from electrifying public transport fleets to unlocking space, partnerships, and planning frameworks for charging infrastructure deployment. But if we are serious about scaling clean transport globally, particularly across emerging economies, we must also scale investment. Expanding access to finance for EV charging infrastructure will be essential to ensure cities can move faster, attract private capital, and deliver cleaner air, lower emissions, and more equitable mobility systems for millions of people.”
Cities can play a catalytic role
National governments typically retain authority over electricity markets, tariffs, and technical standards. Despite these constraints, the report finds that cities can still play a catalytic role in enabling charging deployment. Across the four emerging-market case studies, three city-level approaches consistently emerged as critical:
- Using control over public land and urban space to facilitate charging deployment;
- Leveraging public transport and municipal fleet electrification to create demand signals and anchor charging investment;
- Establishing dedicated governance and coordination structures to streamline permitting, planning, and stakeholder engagement.
Cities across emerging economies are already demonstrating how local leadership can accelerate the rollout of charging infrastructure through planning, partnerships, public procurement, and institutional coordination. Rio de Janeiro has enabled charging pilots through its Sandbox.Rio initiative and facilitated access to municipal sites for infrastructure deployment; Bogotá has supported charging deployment through public-space regulation while advancing one of Latin America’s largest electric bus fleets; Mexico City has integrated charging infrastructure into broader mobility planning and supported electrification of the Metrobús BRT system; Pune established a dedicated EV Cell, introduced fiscal incentives for chargers, and deployed public charging infrastructure through public-private partnership models.
Eduardo Cavaliere, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, said:
“Cities have a critical role to play in accelerating the transition to electric mobility, particularly by creating the conditions that allow innovation and investment to move faster. In Rio, initiatives such as Sandbox.Rio and the use of municipal sites for pilot projects are helping demonstrate how cities can unlock opportunities for charging deployment. But scaling this transition will require greater access to finance and stronger partnerships between governments, utilities, and the private sector to expand charging infrastructure at the pace our cities need.”
Carlos Fernando Galán, Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, said:
“Bogotá’s experience shows that ambitious public transport electrification can help transform urban mobility while creating demand for charging infrastructure at scale. As we continue advancing one of Latin America’s largest electric bus fleets, it is essential to mobilize investment that supports reliable, accessible, and affordable charging networks. Cities cannot do this alone. And facilitating finance and long-term partnerships will be key to accelerating the transition across emerging economies.”
Héctor Ulises García Nieto, Mexico City Mobility Secretary (SEMOVI) , Mexico, said:
“Electric mobility is not only about vehicles: it is about building integrated urban systems that improve air quality, reduce emissions, and expand access to sustainable transport. Mexico City has worked to integrate charging infrastructure into broader mobility planning, including the electrification of the Metrobús system. The next step is ensuring cities have the financial tools and investment support needed to scale charging infrastructure and deliver a cleaner urban future.”
Recommendations for cities in emerging economies
Based on the analysis, the report identifies several practical approaches cities can adopt to support charging infrastructure deployment:
- Integrate EV charging into urban planning and land-use frameworks;
- Use municipal assets and public land strategically for charging deployment;
- Develop public-private partnership models to attract investment;
- Align charging rollout with public transport and fleet electrification programs;
- Establish dedicated governance structures and cross-agency coordination mechanisms;
- Improve permitting clarity and reduce administrative barriers;
- Support interoperability and open-access charging systems;
- Coordinate closely with utilities and national governments on grid planning and regulatory frameworks.
It also draws lessons from mature EV charging markets such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Key lessons include the importance of early-stage public funding to de-risk investment, municipal aggregation models to improve scale and coordination, and standardized interoperability frameworks to improve user experience and market confidence. The analysis also highlights that even mature markets continue to face challenges related to grid capacity, heavy-duty charging, and equitable geographic coverage, reinforcing the importance of long-term policy coordination.
Sarah Dimson-Tararuj, Head of Strategic Projects and Programs at The Climate Pledge, said:
“Scaling electric mobility requires more than vehicle adoption alone; it depends on building the charging infrastructure ecosystem that makes the transition practical, reliable, and accessible for communities and businesses alike. This report highlights the critical role cities can play in accelerating deployment through collaboration, innovation, and long-term planning. It also reinforces the importance of mobilizing investment and cross-sector partnerships to help emerging economies build lower-carbon, more resilient transport systems at scale.”
