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Mexico converts old cars to e-car

Mexico has so far been a blank slate in the field of electromobility. This is now set to change. In particular, the capital, Mexico City, wants to challenge renowned companies like Tesla. As a recipe for success, one presents special prototypes, which are nothing more than motor vehicles converted to electric drive.

Three different types of vehicles

If Claudia Sheinbaum, mayor of Mexico City, has her way, three different types of vehicles will suffice in our modern society. In addition to a small car to be used for private individuals, you need trucks for freight transport and buses for passenger transport. That is all. Accordingly, the metropolis of millions now wants to convert conventional motor vehicles of these types to electric drive. The appropriate motor technology is to be 100 percent made in Mexico.

Mexican lithium to stay in Mexico

Mexico also wants to rely on lithium-ion technology for the batteries for its electric motors. But the valuable mineral is in extremely high demand worldwide. As if by chance, the country can look back on solid deposits of lithium in South America. It now wants to use this for its own needs, such as the conversion of motor vehicles. The basic idea behind all this is the electricity reform pushed by Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. This prestigious project is intended to ensure that Mexico also uses the country’s own resources for its own needs. Mexico’s leader says in this regard:

“We don’t want to be a territory where there are conflicts between foreign powers. Neither Russia nor China nor the United States, but Mexico…”

should be the one to feed on the valuable battery ingredient. Given the huge deposits that exist in Mexico, this is not only a significant gain for the South American country. On top of that, an important source of supply for globally active battery manufacturers may dry up. Especially since only part of Mexico’s deposits have been developed so far. So there could be many more lithium deposits slumbering beneath the earth of this large country.

A push for Mexican electromobility

What may sound egotistical at first glance is perfectly understandable once you take a closer look. It is Mexico’s concern to turn its back on the internal combustion engine. Accordingly, one can certainly understand the conversion action of the mayor of Mexico City. As a gigantic metropolis, Mexico City is also increasingly drowning in smog from diesel or gasoline-powered vehicles. A switch to all-electric cars would be the solution. However, according to Sheinbaum, this would only be of any use if sufficient resources could also be relied upon. To achieve this, it would be important to simply prohibit foreign companies from mining lithium in their own countries. Sheinbaum wrote about this on the short message service Twitter:

“The mining of lithium is of strategic importance and must therefore only be carried out by a state-owned company. This guarantees energy transition and sovereignty. Lithium is a strategic element for electric cars like this”

Tesla should benefit

In Mexico, the approach has already given big e-car makers like Tesla a run for their money. However, Tesla is likely to be annoyed at best by the loss of a source of supply for lithium. Since Mexico is not a big market for the company anyway, the possible collapse in sales figures in the South American country should not weigh too heavily. CEO Elon Musk’s company could possibly even be pleased with the advance of Mexican politics. After all, with the number of existing electric cars, the demand for charging options at corresponding charging stations is naturally also increasing. Since these are now one of the main sources of income for the US carmaker, Musk is likely to be more pleased than sad.

It could hardly be more sustainable

Even if Mexico’s idea may be wearily laughed at in some quarters, it is undoubtedly a sustainable solution. After all, converting to an electric motor does not require the bodywork and other components of the car to be rebuilt. Incidentally, the conversion of a vehicle is said to cost at least 450,000 Mexican pesos (approx. 19,100.00 euros). What may sound like a lot of money at first glance is supposed to be worth it in the long run, according to experts. This is said to result in particular from the far more favorable maintenance.

Simon Lüthje

I am co-founder of this blog and am very interested in everything that has to do with technology, but I also like to play games. I was born in Hamburg, but now I live in Bad Segeberg.

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Mexico has so far been a blank slate in the field of electromobility. This is now set to change. In particular, the capital, Mexico City, wants to challenge renowned companies like Tesla. As a recipe for success, one presents special prototypes, which are nothing more than motor vehicles converted to electric drive. Three different types … (Weiterlesen...)

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