There are barely 200 electric cars on the road in Mexico, but General Motors and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) are betting on an increase in the numbers.

GM will make its first entry into the electrically-powered vehicle market in Mexico with the introduction of the Spark EV.

The 100%-electric car will sell for 499,900 pesos, or US $32,000, and come with a three-year/60,000-kilometer warranty.

It utilizes a 21.4-kwh lithium ion battery and will reach a full charge after seven hours on a 240-volt portable charger. The auto maker claims potential fuel cost savings of 30%-70%, depending on electrical rates.

Fully charged, the Spark’s range is 132 kilometers. The vehicle will be available for purchase in June and will bring to three the number of manufacturers offering electric vehicles. BMW and Nissan are already in the market.

Meanwhile, the federal electric utility is offering homeowners the option of an additional meter just for vehicle charging. The CFE will supply and install the meters at no charge, but consumers will pay the going rate for electricity to charge their vehicles.

Owners of fully-electric or hybrid vehicles will be eligible for the installation, which will enable drivers to keep track of their fuel costs.

CFE boss Enrique Ochoa told a press conference the meter program is part of an accord signed with the Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA) to promote sales of the vehicles.

AMIA’s Eduardo Solís said what’s missing now is a subsidy to make the vehicles more widely accessible. The auto makers, he said, have asked the federal government to declare them exempt from IVA, the value-added tax.

Source: El Universal (sp), El Financiero (sp)