E-MOBILITY IN LATIN AMERICA: CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND TELEMATICS SOLUTIONS

As urbanisation continues, the number of megacities in Latin America keeps growing. For instance, São Paulo is home to 23.17 million people, closely followed by Mexico City with 23.02 million inhabitants. Such population density strongly impacts air quality unless the state pays close attention to one of the biggest air pollution culprits – the automotive industry.

Fuel-powered vehicles significantly contribute to CO2 emissions and climate change. To sustain economic growth while curbing its negative environmental impact, the transition from fuel-powered vehicles to hybrid and electric alternatives is inevitable. This process has already started all across Latin America.

The transition creates a new set of challenges for government institutions, businesses, and private vehicle owners. While states focus on increasing electricity generation capacity and expanding charging infrastructure, fleet owners need to learn how to use their electric vehicles efficiently.

To discuss new requirements for telematics, Teltonika hosted a webinar E-MOBILITY IN LATIN AMERICA.

E-MOBILITY CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

The Latin American Energy Organisation (OLADE) estimates that by 2030 there could be up to 20 million electric vehicles on the roads in Latin America. At the same time, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) projects that by the same year electric vehicle sales will reach 1.2 million units annually.

These projections are not just wishful thinking; they are based on the growing electric vehicle sales and favourable government policies. Various countries – including Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, and Mexico – have already set specific targets to move towards the full adoption of zero-emission vehicles for both private use and public transport.

This growing market creates new opportunities for telematics providers. Electric transport requires tailored telematics solutions that address needs beyond basic vehicle tracking. Vehicle battery life strongly depends on operating conditions as extremely high temperatures, neglected maintenance, and regular full discharge accelerate battery wear. Fortunately, telematics makes it possible to monitor battery temperature, state of health, and charge status, detect harmful behaviour, and prevent costly battery replacement.

Battery lifespan is not the only factor fleet owners should keep in mind. Charging infrastructure in Latin America is rapidly growing, with 4,848 public charging stations already available, or 3.3 stations per 100 electric vehicles. While this is an impressive result, coverage remains uneven, so fleet managers need to consider charging station availability when planning their trips. Charging location data combined with real-time battery level help to make sure that no driver is left stranded with an empty battery.

To be part of the e-mobility market’s growth, telematics providers should adapt and offer solutions tailored to the needs of the battery-powered fleets, bringing significant value in different use cases – from e-bikes to e-forklifts and electric buses. What is more, solution providers can support vehicle manufacturers looking to implement native telematics and provide smart vehicles to consumers.

OUR SOLUTION DESIGNED FOR E-MOBILITY

During the webinar, Teltonika presented FTC305, a device tailored for the e-mobility industry. It has a 10-97 V voltage range, helping to reduce overvoltage risks when working with electric vehicles, and a compact design to take as little space as possible for easier installation. Our tracker is available in two versions: with an IP67-rated casing for external installation, and without a casing for installation inside the e-transport frame.

Moreover, FTC305 is based on Teltonika’s FT platform, benefiting from such innovations as more precise tracking. It can connect to up to 41 visible satellites, ensuring accurate location detection even in challenging conditions – like dense urban areas.

When it comes to data reading, this is one of the few devices in Teltonika’s portfolio with Manual CAN functionality – the ability to read raw data and program a custom CAN parameter database using TCT. It allows solution providers to specify what kind of data the device should read and tailor the solution to specific e-mobility brands. In case business priorities change and the parameters should be updated, it can be done with ease remotely via our device management platform FOTA WEB.

Last but not least, FTC305 supports scenarios related to driver performance, such as eco driving and overspeeding. The device can also detect incidents with crash and fall-down detection, while helping to identify malicious activity thanks to unplug and jamming detection.

Q&A

At the end of each webinar, we host a live Q&A session. Below, you will find some of the participants’ questions along with answers from our technical expert, IoT solutions engineer Rafael Zamora Flores.

WHAT E-MOBILITY PARAMETERS CAN BE READ WITH FTC305?

The parameters depend on the device implementation with Manual CAN functionality. Based on the data communication protocol of the e-transport, you can specify which raw CAN parameters should be collected and sent to the fleet management platform. The list of parameters can include battery level, battery temperature, and battery state of health.

SHOULD ECAN02 BE USED FOR FTC305 CONNECTION TO CAN BUS?

ECAN02 can be used for contactless installation to read CAN bus data. However, to use Manual CAN commands and manage a vehicle remotely, wired installation is required.

DOES FTC305 DEVICE SUPPORT SPECIFIC E-BIKE BRANDS?

At the moment, FTC305 devices do not have a list of supported brands. Nevertheless, you can implement the integration yourself using Manual CAN functionality in case you have data communication protocol of the e-transport. At the same time, we are working on supporting the most popular e-mobility brands.

HOW MANY SATELLITES CAN FTC305 DEVICE CONNECT TO?

As part of Teltonika’s FT platform devices, FTC305 can connect to up to 41 visible satellites.

HOW DOES VEHICLE IMMOBILISATION WORK WITH FTC305?

If the vehicle protocol supports the immobilisation command, it can be sent it using Manual CAN commands feature to turn off the engine without using an additional relay. Up to 10 Manual CAN commands can be specified in TCT.

DOES FTC305 HAVE BLUETOOTH®? DOES IT SUPPORT EYE SENSORS AND EYE BEACONS?

Yes, FTC305 has Bluetooth® connectivity and supports EYE sensors and EYE beacons.

IS DEAD RECKONING FUNCTIONALITY AVAILABLE ON FTC305 DEVICES?

FTC305 devices do not have dead reckoning functionality, however, we are considering adding new trackers with dead reckoning to the E-MOBILITY product category. Stay tuned for further updates!