E-Motors halts sales of Brazil's cheapest electric cars

Brazilian importer E‑Motors announced the suspension of sales for the JMEV Emova Easy (R$ 69,990) and Emova Urban (R$ 99,990) before any deliveries took place. The pause is attributed to a sharp rise in maritime freight costs – a 40‑foot container from China jumped from roughly US$1,800 at the start of the year to about US$10,200 – and to the recent increase of the import tax on electric vehicles to a capped 35% as of July 2026.

All customers who had reserved the two models received full refunds of their deposits, and the company said it has no set date to resume imports, waiting for logistics costs to normalise. E‑Motors had aimed to sell 1,000 units in 2026 and open about 30 dealerships, but currently operates a single showroom in Pedro Leopoldo, Minas Gerais. The vehicles are built by Chinese Jiangling Motors (JMEV) and were renamed after a naming dispute with Kia.

The suspension also reshapes the low‑price electric‑vehicle segment in Brazil, where higher‑priced Asian models now dominate the market.