Bolivia and Paraguay: A beacon for sustainable electric mobility?

This paper presents a review of studies and data on lithium resources and batteries and on electric cars, alongside with an exploratory study of the feasibility of replacing car fleet for personal transportation, using internal combustion engines (ICE), currently used in Paraguay and Bolivia, by equivalent electric vehicles. The energy mixes and natural resources of Bolivia and Paraguay ensue a unique opportunity for the development and production of electric cars in Latin America. Economic, energy, environmental, mineral resources criteria are considered. The introduction of electric mobility is evaluated in two scenarios: first, with electric vehicles available in the international market (EV); and, alternatively, with the implementation and development of local lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries and electric vehicles industries. Electric vehicles with Li-ion battery (BEV) could be built leveraging on the strategic advantages of natural resources from the Uyuni Salt Lake - Bolivia and the availability of electricity in Paraguay from the Itaipu hydro-power plant, as well as from Bolivian natural gas and renewable resources. The battery industry could be located in Bolivia while the Latin-American electric vehicle (LEV) industry could be based in Paraguay. Estimates conducted in this study show that replacement of existing fleet with (LEV) in the period of 10 years, the cumulative economic benefits for Paraguay are US$ 996 million and Bolivia in US$ 1373 million. Such replacement would allow a reduction of (GHG) emissions (greenhouse gases) nearly 8398 Gg total CO2 avoided for Paraguay and 9420 Gg total CO2 avoided for Bolivia, replacing (ICEV) internal combustion engine vehicle. However, the scenario envisioned to induce scale for local industrialization would rely on a conservative replacement of the 40 thousand vehicles per year in each country. The underlying idea is to gain scale locally for the initial production chain and then access the Latin American and world markets.