Inspired by Norway:São Paulo Gives EV Owners the Right to Charge
The right to install chargers in housing cooperatives and condominiums was crucial for EV drivers in Norwegian cities when it was adopted by the Norwegian parliament in 2017. Now, electric car owners in São Paulo will benefit from the same rights.
The right to charge in Sao Paulo took effect on February 19, when city Governor Tarcísio de Freitas signed the law, originally passed by parliament in December last year.
This means that EV owners in the city now have legal support to install a charging box at their designated parking spot in shared facilities within a housing association, making it impossible for the board to oppose the installation without providing compelling evidence.
The EV drivers’ association in Brazil, ABRAVEi, describes the law as a milestone in electrifying Brazil’s vehicle fleet.
In february battery electric cars reached a marked share of 6.1 percent in the country.
Central São Paulo is home to 12 million people—many live in large apartment buildings and have their own parking spaces.
Solving charging challenges for EV owners in big cities is absolutely crucial for Brazilian consumers to choose electric cars.
Inspired by Norway
The decision in São Paulo was, according to ABRAVEi, clearly inspired by the Right to Charge-law adopted by the Norwegian parliament in 2017.
The Right to Charge ensures residents in housing cooperatives and condominiums can get EV charging. If you have your own parking space, the board can only refuse installation for valid reasons. If you only have a general parking right, you can still request a charger, and the board must comply unless they have a legitimate reason.
Fire risk or “too expensive” are not considered valid reasons for refusal.
In both 2024 and 2025, representatives from ABRAVEi visited Norway to learn from their experiences, through a partnership programme with the Norwegian EV Association.
Making It Harder to Refuse
The Brazilian law stipulates that EV owners living in apartment buildings have the right to install a charging box at their parking space.
Building owners can still set technical standards and rules for how costs are divided, but the law makes it much harder to refuse EV charging without a valid reason.
“We want to regulate this in a safe and responsible way,” said parliament member in the state of Sao Paulo, Antonio Donato Madormo during the debate. He has been a driving force behind the new charging rights.
Deputy Secretary General Petter Haugneland was one of the representatives from the Norwegian EV Association who met with parliament member Madormo in São Paulo in June 2025.
Charging rights for housing cooperatives and condominiums were among the topics discussed at the meeting.
A Debate Surrounded by Myths
In recent years, Brazil has struggled with debates around transport electrification being dominated by myths, particularly regarding fire hazards.
At the request of ABRAVEi, the Norwegian EV Association stepped into the debate in the fall of 2025.
This appeal from Christina Bu went viral in Brazil:
In September last year, former Minister of Climate and Environment in Norway, Ola Elvestuen (Liberal Party) also published an op-ed in the Brazilian newspaper O Estadão de São Paulo, urging Brazil to pursue electric vehicle policies and not let myths dominate the debate.
Thanks to the collaboration between the EV Associations in Brazil and Norway, with a clear message supported and powered by the EV owners of Brazil, and forward looking decision makers in Sao Paulo, EV owners in the biggest city in Brazil now have the right to request the installation of a home charger in their apartment buildings.
