Enel X Creates First 100% Electric Pan-American Charging Corridor

As seen in Long Way Up, the new documentary series that follows Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as they ride electric motorcycles from Argentina to California, there is a need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure everywhere people drive. Enel X was honored to provide support by installing 240 JuiceBox EV charging ports in 11 countries along the Pan American route Mr. McGregor and Mr. Boorman drove from Ushuaia, Argentina to Los Angeles. Most of this charging network is now available through the Enel X JuicePass app to anyone who needs to charge their EV in these locations, and for people who want to follow the Long Way Up route on their own road trip.

With the rapid adoption of electric vehicles, there is a corresponding need to ensure that there is sufficient infrastructure in place to support the increasing demand for EV charging stations. In addition to residential charging stations, public charging stations are a critical piece of the puzzle, providing drivers with an easy connection to a network of EV chargers for longer drives. While a lot of attention has been focused on establishing EV charging networks across the United States, electric mobility is a global market and charging infrastructure at home, work and in public is critical to supporting widespread adoption of EVs.

To encourage and support EV adoption across the Americas, Enel X is a leading EV infrastructure provider in the region and to support the Long Way Up route added to its newwork the first Pan American EV charging corridor from Ushuaia, Argentina to Los Angeles, California. Enel X installed JuiceBox charging stations with smart charging technology approximately every 100 miles with more than 200 charging ports installed across 11 countries. Installing smart charging technology in all types of locations, from tiny villages to major cities, required plenty of scouting, local partners recruitment and troubleshooting, and it was a great experience.

Photo credit: Claudio von Planta/Long Way Up

“When we were asked to join ‘Long Way Up’ we immediately loved the challenge and the opportunity to achieve our mission of boosting electric mobility by building EV charging infrastructure for an electric Pan-American route,” said Alberto Piglia, Head of e-Mobility at Enel X. “Building the Pan-American network of charging ports using our JuiceBox technology and sending our crews into some of the most remote locations in Latin America, to support this amazing adventure was an incredible experience. We hope people across the Americas will be inspired to drive electric and we are honored to put hundreds of charging stations on the map in locations where this infrastructure was not previously available.”

Enel, a multinational group operating in more than 30 countries and parent company of Enel X, is the largest private company involved in renewable energy with an extensive electric power distribution network, encompassing the largest customer base in the world. Enel has a long history of working with markets and customers in Latin America and has a unique understanding of the specialized needs of each country through providing electric power distribution, generation, and commercialization companies.

To support Chile’s goal to completely electrify the public transport system by 2040, Enel X partnered with Metbus and BYD to provide 435 fully electric buses for the Red network, the urban public transport system in the metropolitan area of Santiago, Chile. Since then, Enel X  became the leading provider of 100% electric bus terminals in Latin America deploying 12 e-bus depots with over 500 hi-power 160 Enel X smart charging stations. Each Red e-bus has contributed to a reduction in carbon emissions equivalent to taking 33 cars off the road and reduced bus operating costs by up to 70%. Enel X also has projects with Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and other countries. To learn more, read our project case studies here.

Beyond electric power, Enel X aims to deliver sustainable solutions to support decarbonization efforts in the Latin American market, and the Enel X Pan American corridor is just a step towards supporting EV infrastructure in emerging markets. With an eye to future generations, Enel X is embarking on a journey to deploy its comprehensive solutions to satisfy the needs of consumers, businesses and communities across the Americas.