When it comes to powerhouse nations of the automobile world, one might think of Japan, Korea, Germany or the United States.
Bolivia, not so much.
That may change, however, thanks to what is being touted as Latin America’s first electric vehicle.
The Quantum E2 and E3 are tiny and very light three-seaters most notable for utilizing lithium batteries.
Bolivia is sitting on a huge deposit of lithium, and has ambitions to greatly expand its extraction of the resource, by establishing a mine in an enormous salt-flat located on a plateau at 12,000 feet in the Andean Mountains. Many in the lithium and mining industries consider the plan risky at best.
While the Quantum’s top speeds only reach 55 kilometers per hour, the vehicle is a huge milestone for the Andean country.
The Quantum, assembled in Bolivia and with 40 percent of its parts made in Bolivia, is projected to be a direct competitor to the tiny Renault Twizy, but retails for half the cost of the latter.
Sources: El Dínamo (Chile), El Tiempo Motor (Colombia), Bloomberg