As announced with the signing of the Law of Incentives for Electric Transportation, the country will provide a series of benefits to car agencies to promote electric mobility. Car rental companies are not the exception and starting on Wednesday, for the first time, hybrid vehicles are available for rent.
Ed Smith, representative of Edventure Travel and expert in this type of vehicles explained that hybrid cars have the characteristic of having two engines, one electric and one that runs on fuel.
“If there is no battery, the vehicle automatically switches to a fuel engine so there is no need to have charging stations,” explained Smith.
The expert believes this will be a solution while the Government and private companies work on the installation of new recharging stations in different parts of the country, since the greatest challenge will be creating the necessary infrastructure for recharges.
Despite this, 17 hotels have joined together to offer free energy to this type of vehicle. The recharge is done through a normal 110 volt power outlet and with normal cables. The hotels that will offer free recharge are:
Grano de Oro (San Jose)
Ave del Paraíso (San Jose)
Rancho Margot (El Castillo – La Fortuna)
Mundo Milo (Junquillal)
Hacienda la Isla (Guápiles)
Congo Bongo Ecolodges (Manzanillo)
Costa Rica Treehouse (Punta Uva)
Selva Bananito
Lirio Lodge (Boca Rio Pacuare)
Maquenque Eco Lodge (Boca Tapada)
Valle Campanas (Monteverde)
Ylang Ylang (Montezuma)ç
Rafiki Beach Camp (Matapalo)
Rafiki Safari Lodge (Savegre)
Dantica (San Gerardo de Dota)
Finca Sura (Virgen de Sarapiquí)
Tenorio Lodge (Bijagua)
The Law of Incentives for Electric Transportation was approved in a first reading on November 27th 2017 and had a majority of 38 votes. Subsequently, it was approved in the second reading on December 14th of the same year.
This standard opens the way to facilitate the purchase of electric vehicles through the implementation of incentives, and tax exemptions when purchasing an electric car.
Vehicles are also exonerated from the total payment of the circulation permit such as the trademark for a period of five years. And finally, the Law provides credit advantages accessible for purchase, as long as the terms, rates, guarantees and procedures are not compromised.
The incentives will apply to the entire vehicle fleet that includes automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, buses, and trains.