"People in Costa Rica and other Latin American, Asian and African countries are increasingly buying electric vehicles to avoid spiking fuel prices."
"Costa Ricans buy more electric vehicles per person than almost any other country in the Western Hemisphere, a fact that would not surprise anyone stopping recently at the Croc Skywalk, a tourist attraction above a slow-moving river where people can gawk at sunbathing crocodiles.
Numerous electric vehicles, most of them made by Chinese companies like Geely and BYD, were parked outside a gift shop and restaurant near the skywalk, about an hour and a half south of San José, the capital.
Several cars were plugged into a bank of shiny chargers while their owners checked out a lone crocodile lounging in murky water.
Costa Rica is a leading example of how electric vehicles are rapidly gaining popularity in many less affluent countries that are not part of the giant U.S., European and Chinese auto markets. There are signs that the war in Iran, which has sharply raised the cost of gasoline and diesel, is accelerating this trend."
Jack Ewing reports for the New York Times with visuals by Tony Cenicola May 3, 2026.
