Bolivian EV to Arrive in Mexico

Mexico’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard, announced that the Quantum E4, a Bolivian electric car, will be available in the Mexican market by 2023. The arrival of the EV in Mexico will be possible thanks to an alliance between Quantum and Potencia Industrial.

Quantum’s main proposal is electrical micro-mobility. The company started to commercialize the E2 and E3 models in 2019, becoming the first South-American company to produce and commercialize fully electric urban vehicles. The E4 aims to be the most accessible EV in the Mexican market.

“Quantum is a Bolivian company aligned with the purpose of its country to not be only a lithium producer, but an active player of lithium processing and battery generation. Bolivia has between 30-40 percent of the global lithium reserves,” said Ebrard.

The collaboration between Quantum and Potencia Industrial, a Mexican manufacturer of high-efficiency electrical motors and generators, started in 2021 when both parties agreed to build the first plant of Quantum outside of Bolivia, which will be located in Mexico.

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs maintained that Mexico has pledged to stop commercializing ICE vehicles by 2030, consequently, Quantum Motors arrives in Mexico at an excellent time,” said Quantum.

Recently, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador highlighted his administration’s commitment with alternative energies. His government aims for half of the total vehicles manufactured in Mexico to be electric or hybrid by 2030. López Obrador said that his administration is making the necessary changes so businesses have security and certainty while investing in the country, as reported by MBN.

“President López Obrador has just announced that Mexico is committed to clean energy. We are working on that, there are already several automotive companies working on the manufacturing of the first electric vehicles in Mexico,” said Elodina Guerra, General Director of Heavy Industry and High Technology, Minister of Economy.

Mexico, Bolivia: Partners on Lithium Exploitation

On Aug. 04, 2022, Ebrard visited Bolivia to strengthen diplomatic relations. One of Mexico’s main interests is to strengthen its relationship with Bolivia to develop the exploitation and application of lithium. Both countries aim to participate in lithium processing to produce EV batteries. 

“This official visit will allow us to strengthen the historical ties of more than 190 years of diplomatic relations and strengthen the bilateral agenda in different areas, framed by cooperation and solidarity,” said Rogelio Mayta, Bolivia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Today, Ebrard visited the YLB plant in Bolivia that produces 800 tons of lithium but aims to produce 15,000 tons due to the growing demand. “Electromobility is already a reality. By 2030, half of all the vehicles in Mexico will be electric and they need lithium batteries,” added Ebrard

Latin America is increasingly becoming an attractive manufacturing option for lithium products because of its key resources. Bolivia, Argentina and Chile hold 64 percent of the global lithium reserves and when considering the Mexican, Brazilian and Peruvian estimated reserves, the percentage increases to over 68 percent, as reported by MBN.