A wall of lack of infrastructure for electric vehicle charging stations is starting to crumble in southern Brazil. This week, four private sector partners launched Rota Sul, a private network of charging stations connecting Rio Grande do Sul with Santa Catarina. The project includes a trip to Parana.

Nissan, Zletric, Movida and Rede Sim invested a total of 2.4 million reais. The installation cost of each fast charger is high. And the investment in the Rota Sul project is 100% private.

Nissan, Zletric, Movida and Rede Sim have invested BRL 2.4 million in the project. Photo: Marco Teixeira/Nissan do Brasil/Disclosure

To find charging stations and recharge, the driver must download the Zletric app. Photo: Marco Teixeira/Nissan do Brasil/Disclosure

Between Porto Alegre and Gramado, the first stop with a charging station on Rede Sim is in the small town of São Sebastian do Cai – Marco Teixeira/Nissan do Brasil/Disclosure

The tourist route to Gramado, passing through the beautiful Avenida das Hortencias, has been approved by the Rota Sul de Electropostos.

Between Porto Alegre and Gramado, the first stop with the power plant on Rede Sim is in the small town of São Sebastian do Cay. It is 65 km from Porto Alegre and 82 km from Gramado. We tested a 2023 Nissan Leaf with 150 hp. and autonomy of 272 km.

The Rede Sim Charging Station in São Sebastian do Cãi is a fast station with 60 kW and Chademo and CCS plugs. In addition to this, this first phase saw the commissioning of 3 more fast delivery stations in Gravatai, Caxias do Sul and Tres Cachoeiras, all in Rio Grande do Sul.

In Santa Catarina in Laguna, a type 2 semi-fast charging station with 22 kW was opened.

recharge app

To find charging stations and recharge, the driver must download the Zletric app.

Using the application, the user turns on the charger using a QR code and controls the history of its charge.

The goal, according to Pedro Schaan, CEO of Zletric, is to give the user the ability to travel like they used to in a gasoline-powered vehicle without having to worry about scheduling recharging.

Power plant in Itajai

By the end of November, in the second phase of the project, five more charging points will be put into operation. Two of them are located in Santa Catarina, in the cities of Itajai and Araquari, and three more in the municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul: Gramado, Bento Gonçalves and Camaqua.

With Rota Sul, says Ayrton Cousso, President of Nissan Mercosul and CEO of Nissan do Brasil, the automaker is taking an important step in Nissan’s electrification plan in Brazil and its commitment to full-cycle electric vehicles in the country.