On Monday, the Government of Mexico unveiled Olinia, the nation's first brand of 100% electric cars designed by young Mexican engineers, according to El Universal. The project aims to position Mexico as a competitor in the global electric vehicle market, challenging industry giants like Tesla and BYD.
“This small car must have the characteristic of being safe, electric, and that most of its components are Mexican,” said President Claudia Sheinbaum during her morning conference at Palacio Nacional, according to Sopitas. Sheinbaum said that Olinia represents a step towards technological independence in the automotive sector.
The Olinia project plans to produce three types of electric vehicles tailored for urban mobility: a personal mobility vehicle aimed at young people, mothers, and motorcyclists; a neighborhood mobility vehicle intended to replace mototaxis with higher safety and comfort; and a vehicle designed for last-mile delivery of goods. According to Heraldo de México, these models are expected to range in price from 90,000 to 150,000 pesos (approximately US$4,500 to US$7,500), making electric mobility accessible to millions of Mexican families and youth.
Roberto Capuano Tripp, the project's leader, detailed that the electric vehicles currently sold in Mexico are expensive and out of reach for most Mexican families, but Olinia aims to change that. “This price, coupled with fair financing models, will allow us to achieve that electric mobility is within reach of millions of Mexicans. This plan is as ambitious as it is bold,” said Capuano, according to Heraldo de México. He also mentioned that the first model is expected to be unveiled at the inaugural match of the 2026 World Cup at Estadio Azteca on June 11.
Olinia, meaning “to move” in Nahuatl, encapsulates the vision of sustainable and accessible mobility for the Mexican people. “The vehicles will be 100% designed by young Mexicans and assembled entirely in our country,” reinforcing Mexico's automotive production and promoting national manufacturing and youth talent in the sector, according to La República. The project is an effort to not only produce vehicles but to create them from the ground up with Mexican technology.
The production system will utilize a multipurpose modular platform for the three vehicles, optimizing resources and production costs. “We will achieve this by designing a multipurpose modular platform for the three. This means that the chassis, the motor, the powertrain, and the battery will be developed only once, and on that platform, we will use different bodies to give the different uses,” explained Capuano, according to Noroeste. This strategy aims to make the vehicles economically viable and adaptable to various needs.
The Olinia vehicles are designed to be charged at any conventional outlet, further enhancing their accessibility for users. “What we want is for the recharge to be as simple as plugging in any other electrical appliance at home,” stated Capuano, according to Heraldo de México. This approach eliminates the need for special charging infrastructure, making electric vehicle ownership more feasible for the general population.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq