Brazil’s EV charging network surges to 25,455 points with rapid acceleration in AC installations following condominium regulation

Brazil installed 4,395 charging points between February and May 2026, marking the fastest quarterly expansion on record according to mapping conducted by ABVE and Tupi Mobilidade Elétrica. The network reached 25,455 installations, comprising 8,606 DC fast chargers and 16,836 AC slow chargers. DC installations grew 32.8% in the quarter, jumping from 6,479 units. More significantly, AC chargers advanced 15.5% in three months, nearly replicating the previous twelve months’ 17.6% growth in a single quarter.

The AC charging resurgence directly correlates with São Paulo’s Law 18.403/2026 enactment, which eliminated condominium barriers that historically blocked private parking space installations. ABVE communications director Davi Bertoncello attributed the AC recovery specifically to this regulatory change, noting slow chargers had been declining before the legislation took effect. The shift removes a primary obstacle to home and semi-public charging infrastructure deployment.

Regional expansion patterns reveal structural transformation in network development. The North region led with 31.1% total growth and 51% DC charger expansion, the highest rate nationally. Centro-Oeste increased 23.7% and South 23.4%, both recording DC growth above 35%. The Southeast, containing the largest installed base, grew 18.1% at a more moderate pace but contributed the greatest absolute volume. Four of five regions exceeded 33% DC growth, indicating regions outside major centers are deploying fast-charging oriented infrastructure from inception, driven by logistics corridors and highway routes.

Municipal coverage expanded from 1,649 to 1,832 cities, an 11.1% increase. Centro-Oeste led municipal expansion at 21.7%, followed by the Northeast at 10.2%. The geographic spread demonstrates electrification moving beyond state capitals into smaller population centers, tourist destinations and transport routes.

Equipment specifications are evolving toward higher-capacity installations. New DC deployments increasingly feature ultra-fast chargers reaching 480 kW with four to ten charging positions per station. BYD operates 125 fast chargers nationally as of March 2026, targeting 225 points by year-end and projecting 1,000 ultra-fast installations by late 2027. The company’s first Brazilian ultra-fast station is scheduled for Brasilia in 2026. Meanwhile, distribution companies face criticism for months-long bureaucratic delays in approving capacity expansions for charging operators, despite the network surpassing 21,000 points. Operators are deploying battery storage systems and intelligent management software to maintain operations during grid approval processes.