Electric vehicleUruguay

An introduction to the traffic rules and road signs of Uruguay. Learn about driving, road safety and much more in our illustrated book, with answers to frequently asked questions.

For informational purposes only. Always follow official regulations. Some content and images were created with AI assistance.


44. Electric vehicle

An electric vehicle, or EV, is a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion and stores electrical energy in a rechargeable battery or another electrical energy-storage system. A fully electric vehicle uses only electrical energy for propulsion, while a plug-in hybrid combines an electric drivetrain with another power source such as a combustion engine.

Electric vehicles can be recharged from an external electricity supply using a suitable charging point or charging station. Their driving-licence, registration, insurance, parking and road-access rules depend on the vehicle category and local regulations rather than simply on the fact that they use electric power.

Electric vehicle
BMW i3 charging from a home power outlet. (Tres Ríos, Costa Rica)
Wikimedia.org • Mariordo • CC BY-SA
What is an electric vehicle?

An electric vehicle uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. Depending on its design, electricity may come from a rechargeable battery, a fuel-cell system or an external supply. Battery-electric vehicles are one type of electric vehicle, not the only type.

🔗 afdc.energy.gov • US Department of Energy AFDC, all-electric vehicle components

🔗 afdc.energy.gov • US Department of Energy AFDC, fuel-cell electric vehicle components

🔗 afdc.energy.gov • US Department of Energy AFDC, hybrid-electric vehicle components

Do all electric vehicles charge at the same speed?

No. The charging rate depends on the vehicle and charging equipment, the available electrical supply and operating conditions. Follow the vehicle and charger specifications; a charger’s advertised maximum does not mean every connected vehicle can receive that rate.

🔗 afdc.energy.gov • US Department of Energy AFDC, all-electric vehicle components

🔗 afdc.energy.gov • US Department of Energy AFDC, fuel-cell electric vehicle components

🔗 afdc.energy.gov • US Department of Energy AFDC, hybrid-electric vehicle components

Is an electric vehicle automatically allowed to park at a charging point?

Not necessarily. Charging spaces can have specific conditions requiring the vehicle to be connected, actively charging, within a time limit or otherwise complying with local parking rules.

🔗 afdc.energy.gov • US Department of Energy AFDC, all-electric vehicle components

🔗 afdc.energy.gov • US Department of Energy AFDC, fuel-cell electric vehicle components

🔗 afdc.energy.gov • US Department of Energy AFDC, hybrid-electric vehicle components

1 Uruguay 2 Pedestrian warning 3 Speed bump 4 Stop sign 5 Roundabout 6 Railway crossing 7 Curve 8 Wrong-way driving 9 Traffic lights 10 Location marker 11 No parking 12 Reversing 13 Bus 14 Police 15 Ambulance 16 Pothole 17 Path 18 Particulates 19 Air pollution 20 Rush hour 21 Road code 22 Street gutter 23 Cargo bike 24 Forestry vehicle 25 Construction vehicle 26 Semi-trailer truck 27 Trolleybus 28 Speed pedelec 29 Delivery vehicle 30 Idling 31 Tow truck 32 Four-wheel drive 33 Bicycle 34 Motorcycle equipment 35 Rail track 36 Caravan 37 Trailer 38 Tow hitch 39 Siren 40 Convoy 41 Emergency vehicle lighting 42 Agricultural machinery 43 Electric bicycle 44 Electric vehicle 45 Pedelec 46 Quadricycle 47 Microcar 48 All-terrain vehicle 49 Van 50 Recreational vehicle 51 Scooter 52 Trikke 53 Personal mobility device 54 Skateboard 55 Segway 56 Kick scooter 57 Roller skates 58 Mailman 59 Hitchhiker 60 Toddler 61 Child 62 Disability 63 Motorail 64 km/h 65 mph 66 Speedometer 67 Ride height 68 Dirt road 69 Driving 70 Start-stop system 71 Manual transmission 72 Automatic transmission 73 Throttle 74 Tachometer 75 Steering wheel 76 Power steering 77 Visual scanning 78 Mirror 79 Fuel 80 Fuel gauge 81 Petrol 82 Diesel 83 Diesel exhaust fluid 84 Car insurance 85 First aid kit 86 Fire extinguisher 87 High-visibility clothing 88 First aid 89 Concrete step barrier 90 Barriers 91 Vehicle lights 92 Street lights 93 Dipped beam 94 High beam 95 Fog lights 96 Front fog lights 97 Rear fog lights 98 Side lights 99 Turn signals 100 Hazard lights ...