| ANALYSIS
A THIRST FOR SUSTAINABLE, INTELLIGENT MOBILITY All major vehicle OEMs in the world are already working toward a greener mobility. The promise of electrified, self-driving cars, shared-mobility services and increasingly stringent emission regulations coupled with the development of more fuel-efficient motorizations are only a few of the trends poised to disrupt mobility for good Green vehicles remain a meager percentage of Mexico’s
hybrid and electric units after Tesla,” says Torben Eckardt,
vehicle park. According to data from AMIA, 10,512 electric
Former Managing Director of Volvo Car México. Toyota,
and hybrid cars were sold in the country in 2017, with
Nissan and Hyundai are among the companies that have
most of those in Mexico City. Although this constitutes
also increased the number of electrified vehicle options
a substantial increase in sales of 27.3 percent compared
in their catalogues. According to AMIA data, Toyota’s
to the 8,260 units sold in 2016, sales of green vehicles
Prius was Mexico’s top seller in the luxury segment with
accounted for just 0.7 percent of the 1.53 million vehicles
7,193 units sold in 2017 and it accounted for 70 percent
sold in 2017.
of all hybrids sold in Mexico in that year. Hyundai has also entered the green vehicles market through its
342
This low percentage, however, also represents an
hybrid Ioniq. “Our bet is on hybrid units and even fuel-
opportunity for new players like Zacua, a 100-percent
cell powertrains as the cleanest alternatives,” says Michel
Mexican OEM, to step in and improve the available
Kaim, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor de México.
offering. “Zacua would be a new brand in a highly competitive market, a Mexican brand, and it would focus
Mexico’s auto parts segment has also been impacted by
on electric vehicles. Our proposal was one paradigm shift
the electrification trend and companies that make critical
after another,” says Jorge Martínez, Director General of
parts for internal combustion engines are also getting on
Zacua, which assembles electric vehicles at its plant
the bandwagon. Belgian exhaust-system manufacturer
in Puebla.
BOSAL Group, for example, is developing new technologies and introducing new products to its catalogue according
However, electrification does not only impact automakers.
to Luis Palomé, Managing Director of Bosal México. “In
Being Mexico the fifth-largest manufacturer of auto
Mexico, we already produce a heat exchanger for hybrid
parts, Óscar Albin, Executive President of INA, says the
vehicles,” he says. “We look forward to producing more
rise of green vehicles could also play to the country's
components for electrified vehicles like this in Mexico.”
strengths. “An electric, self-driving vehicle will require fewer components than today’s vehicles and demand for
Beyond electrification, self-driving technology is being
parts such as electric harnesses will increase,” he says.
developed at design and engineering centers in Mexico.
“This increased demand is good news for Mexico as the
Solís points out that self-driving technology offers an
country is a global leader in the production of electric
opportunity for Mexico to increase its participation in
harnesses for automotive applications.”
the industry. “Control units, radar and lidar sensors are imported from Asia, which is an area of opportunity to
Eduardo Solís, Executive President of AMIA, adds
fill both in Mexico and North America.”
that Mexico is ready to participate in the production of technology for electrified units including critical
According to Jorge Vázquez, R&D Center Director
electric components like batteries. “Companies must
at Continental Automotive, the company’s center in
learn to adapt to the changes introduced by new
Queretaro is focused on creating accident-prevention
technologies, so axle and other transmission component
systems that monitor vehicles’ surroundings and
manufacturers will have to find ways to participate in a
minimize the consequences of an imminent accident.
new industry,” he says.
“These systems work through artificial intelligence that will eventually be used in self-driving platforms,”
PREPARING FOR CHANGE
he underlines. The car of the future may still be a few
The dawn of the electric car era also means the dusk of
decades away from conquering the roads and it will
the internal combustion engine and while there is a long
take a long time before green, self-driving vehicles gain
road ahead before electrified vehicles become the norm,
a noteworthy share of Mexico’s vehicle park. However, the
some companies are already preparing for the change.
first steps have been taken in terms of sales, production
“Volvo Cars will become the second OEM to deal only in
and design toward a new automotive horizon.
