It was developed in Mexico and is designed to make the most of the country’s engineering talent, supply chain and vehicle manufacturing capacity.
Mexico has electrified its automotive market at a very rapid pace. In part, this is because less stringent safety standards and good relations with China have filled the market with reasonably priced EVs. But as positive as it is for Mexican drivers to have options for imported Chinese models, it doesn’t contribute much to Mexico’s large production capacity and supply chain. Furthermore, even though a new cheap Chinese EV may cost just US$17,000 in the country, that is still expensive for a nation where the average salary is around US$1,000 per month.
That’s why Mexico is doing something about it. Discover the Olinia Uno, an EV developed with support from the Mexican government. The vehicle was designed, developed and will be manufactured in Mexico, using as many Mexican parts as possible. And the price should be around US$8,600. The vehicle was presented on Sunday at an event attended by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
“Olinia is the project that marks a new chapter for Mexico: the step from assembling vehicles for the world to designing and building its own technology,” states the company on its website.
The Uno’s specs come closer to what we’d consider a neighborhood electric vehicle than a full-fledged car. There are no airbags or air conditioning, and the 18 horsepower engine can only propel the car to a top speed of 31 mph. Its 14.7 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery offers just 77 miles of range.
This car was not designed to be a highway cruiser. It aims to make electric vehicle driving accessible to those with limited resources, while also showing the world that Mexico can produce its own designs rather than just making cars for other brands. It should be cheap to run too; On the Olinia website, the brand claims it will cost less than half per mile compared to a motorcycle taxi, and about a fifth of what it would cost to run a typical sedan. There is no fast charging, but the Uno can be charged from a standard 220V three-prong socket in up to four hours.
The Olinia Uno will come with some comforts. There are LED headlights, front power windows, power locks, a reversing camera and a radio with Bluetooth connection (although there are only two speakers for the entire car). The biggest draw might be the fact that it can carry six passengers or accommodate a wheelchair. This is important, especially for taxi operators, for whom the car’s design appears to have been designed for.
The Olinia Uno will not simply be launched into the Mexican market without support. There is a large-scale plan to open 2,000 charging stations across Mexico, the head of the Olinia project said at Sunday’s event.
The Olinia Uno will hit stores in the summer of 2027, but it appears to be the start of a major push by the country to create affordable EV solutions. It’s unclear whether Olinia Uno would be suitable for places outside of Mexico, but it’s exciting to see what the country will create next.
