Electric cars are becoming more common in streets around the world. That's true in Latin America as well, even though the transition to sustainable transportation is moving at a slower pace. CGTN's Franc Contreras reports from Mexico City.

Anywhere else in the world, Marco Antonio Chavez would be just another electric vehicle owner. But in this Latin American mega city, he's considered a visionary. Chavez is the president of Mexico's electric vehicle association. He says some five million vehicles every day roll on the streets in the vast Mexico City metropolitan area. Only about 300 are electric cars. Drivers can charge their batteries for free at 150 charging stations, like this one, which looks abandoned.

ANTONIO CHAVEZ, PRESIDENT NATIONAL ELECTRIC AND SUSTAINABLE VEHICLE ASSOCIATION "It's covered in graffiti. But we have a plan to recover this space by getting neighbors to paint murals of electric vehicles."

Companies that sell EVs pay to build these charging stations; the city government pays the electric bill. But Chavez says Mexico City is far behind Beijing, Berlin and New York City when it comes to electric car-friendly policies.

ANTONIO CHAVEZ, PRESIDENT NATIONAL ELECTRIC AND SUSTAINABLE VEHICLE ASSOCIATION "The Mexico City government has shown little commitment to sustainable mobility or electric vehicles. Last year, it was the federal government that removed import taxes on electric vehicles to make them more competitive in this market."

Mexico's Electric and Sustainable Vehicle Association says sales of hybrid vehicles which get their power from both gasoline and electric batteries, have reached about 600. And some of them are used as taxies.

FRANC CONTRERAS MEXICO CITY "The Mexico City government has created a plan that allows taxi drivers to exchange their combustion vehicles for these hybrids."

The city government program paid Armando Leite, a 20-year veteran taxi driver, to hand over his combustible engine vehicle. He used the money as a down payment for his hybrid. Leite urges politicians to expand the program so everyone can take advantage of it.

ARMANDO LEITE HYBRID TAXI DRIVER "Definitely, vehicles with this technology should be made available to the entire population. The environment will benefit and the economy, too. People will save because they no longer have to buy gasoline. And those savings will be felt in their wallets."

Leite says besides the money he's saving, he also noticed that he's no longer breathing in exhaust from his own vehicle. FC, CGTN, Mexico City.