By Yang Chen, Claudia Lopez Rodriguez, Patricia Marrero, Sergio Rojas, Pablo Navas and Adriana Ormazabal Caballero
As Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) confronts increasing urbanization, worsening air pollution, and the impacts of changing weather patterns, electric mobility (e-mobility) emerges as a vital solution to enhance the resilience of the region’s transportation systems. With over a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in LAC originating from the transport sector, transitioning to e-mobility not only supports climate goals but also enhances public health, reduces dependence on fossil fuels, and creates economic opportunities.
Over the last decade, countries in LAC have become pioneers in advancing e-mobility. Chile and Colombia have led the way with some of the world’s largest electric bus fleets outside of China. Cities across the region are integrating electric vehicles into their public transport systems, adopting policies that support green mobility, and collaborating across sectors to accelerate the progress.
At the center of e-mobility transition is a growing recognition that financing at scale requires more than capital—it demands collaboration. Across the region, financiers and partners are aligning their efforts with the shared goal of accelerating the transition to e-mobility. Collaboration between the World Bank Group and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has already demonstrated the potential of a common financing platform that brings development partners together to co-finance the transition.
While evolving, this financing platform has a strong foundation that includes: IBRD, IFC, IDB and IDB Invest support in an e-mobility program in LAC totaling US$5.7 billion, with the IBRD contributing US$790 million in current investments, and an additional US$1.7 billion in preparation. This collaborative strategy enables countries to leverage public resources to unlock greater volumes of private capital, paving the groundwork for a just, inclusive, and scalable transition.
To advance this approach and unlock its full potential, deeper and sustained collaboration across the e-mobility ecosystem is essential.
Introducing the LAC E-Mobility Salon
To support this goal, the World Bank Group and its partners launched the LAC E-Mobility Salon, a regional coalition and knowledge platform aimed at bringing together key stakeholders, sharing insights, and coordinating efforts across the e-mobility space. The Salon has been envisioned as a series of bi-annual events, bringing together public agencies, private companies, financiers, researchers, and civil society in a space for open discussions and collaborative problem-solving.
The Salon’s objectives are to deepen collaboration, highlight innovative financing models, scale successful solutions, and support governments in tailoring their e-mobility strategies to local needs—whether in capital cities or emerging urban centers. Its mission is to become a driving force for the region’s transition to sustainable, inclusive, and resilient mobility systems.
“Electric mobility is more than a climate solution—it’s about creating jobs, improving public services, and building resilience.” ~ Nicolas Peltier, Global Director for Transport, World Bank.
Highlights from the Inaugural Salon
The first edition of the E-mobility Salon took place on March 13, 2025 in parallel with Transforming Transportation 2025. Hosted by IBRD in partnership with IDB, IFC, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), the salon gathered over 165 participants from over 15 countries across the region.
Key themes discussed included:
- Financing the transition: Development banks are not just lending—they’re mobilizing commercial capital at scale.
- Tailored strategies: One-size-fits-all approach does not apply. Each city needs a localized approach.
- Smaller cities, bigger potential: National strategies are evolving to support smaller cities, with capital cities often leading the way.
- Multi-sectoral planning: True success requires coordination between energy, transport, environment, labor, and finance agencies.
- Formalizing operators: Electrification provides a window to professionalize and strengthen public transport operators.
- Falling costs, rising opportunity: Electric bus prices have dropped significantly, creating a more favorable market environment.
- Standardization: Shared technical standards can lower costs and improve procurement efficiency.
- Partnerships in action: From Bogotá to São Paulo, joint efforts between public and private actors are already paying off.
“This event is an opportunity for us to acknowledge that while Latin America has advanced in the agenda, there is still enormous potential in the region.”~ Marcela Silva, Regional Director Infrastructure LAC, World Bank.
A global perspective
The experience of Latin America and the Caribbean in advancing e-mobility offers valuable lessons for other regions navigating similar transitions. From pioneering electric bus fleets to developing innovative financing platforms, LAC’s journey demonstrates how collaboration and tailored strategies can unlock scalable, inclusive solutions. The Salon became more than just a regional forum—it sparked ideas and momentum that resonate far beyond LAC.
To further support global learning, the World Bank is launching the World Bank Academy, a new initiative that brings together global expertise and practical knowledge. The first edition of the Academy will focus on e-mobility, sharing insights and tools to help countries around the world design and implement effective electric mobility programs.
The Inaugural LAC E-Mobility Salon was made possible thanks to the support of the Global Facility to Decarbonize Transport (GFDT) and marked a strong beginning for what promises to be a powerful platform for regional change. But we’re just getting started: the next edition will take place during the UITP Global Summit in Hamburg this summer.
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