Mexico presented the Olinia Uno, the first electric vehicle developed in the country priced at less than US$9,000. The initiative represents a significant turnaround for the Mexican automotive industry, which traditionally acts as an assembly hub for large foreign manufacturers.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum took the wheel of an Olinia electric vehicle during the prototype presentation ceremony.
Recently, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum presented the country’s first electric vehicle prototype, the Olinia Uno, taking a step towards technological independence. With an attractive price below US$9,000 and specifications aimed at the practical demands of urban transport, the model goes beyond a simple automobile and seeks to change the scenario of the Mexican automotive industry, reducing dependence on foreign automakers that dominate the electric vehicle segment in the local market.
The presentation of the prototype on June 7th marked a milestone for the Mexican economy and the automotive sector. Olinia Uno is not just a commercial product, but a symbol of advancement in the country’s research, development and manufacturing capabilities. The project is the result of collaboration between academic and research institutions, such as the National Polytechnic University of Mexico (TecNM), the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) and centers linked to the Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation, with support from the Chinese Embassy.
In her speech at the launching ceremony, president Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted the relevance of the project as a response to views that underestimate Mexico’s technological potential. “It has been said that innovation was something for other countries, that Mexico was born just as an assembly factory and that our role was to accept technology, not develop it; accept ideas, not create them. But that is completely wrong,” he said.
