By Enrique Soto | Photography: Javier González
The Mexican-engineered vehicle has successfully completed comprehensive performance testing conducted by technical experts at CIITA Puebla.
Olinia, an electric vehicle developed by Mexican engineers, is moving closer to becoming a new option for sustainable urban mobility following a series of performance tests conducted by specialists at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN). The evaluations mark an important step toward offering an affordable electric vehicle for Mexican families.
At the Puebla Unit of the Center for Innovation and Integration of Advanced Technologies (CIITA), engineers conducted a series of range tests on the passenger version of the vehicle. The tests were performed on a chassis dynamometer at constant and variable speeds, with and without additional weight, and under simulated road gradients to assess the vehicle's performance under different operating conditions. The vehicle features the emblem of a winged hare.
The evaluation is part of a broader testing program. The Mexican government is currently developing an Official Mexican Standard (NOM) for the newly established micro-vehicle category, which will provide the regulatory framework needed for these electric vehicles to operate on public roads nationwide.
During Olinia's official unveiling on June 7 in Zumpango, State of Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said that the country's first domestically developed electric vehicle reflects Mexico's commitment to education, science, technology, and innovation as tools for improving public well-being.
Olinia is being developed in passenger and cargo configurations, including van and pickup versions, through collaboration among specialists from the IPN, the Tecnológico Nacional de México (TecNM), and research centers across the country.
The three-day range tests were led by IPN researchers Mario Alberto Grave Capistrán and Miguel Antonio Cardoso Palomares, both of whom hold master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica (ESIME), Zacatenco Unit. Both researchers are affiliated with CIITA Puebla, where they oversee the Powertrain Laboratory and the Electromobility Charging Compliance Laboratory.
Grave Capistrán explained that the Powertrain Laboratory is equipped with an Italian-made, three-axis mechanical chassis dynamometer fitted with specialized rollers. The equipment can support vehicles weighing up to 16 metric tons per axle, allowing it to test everything from subcompact cars to full-size passenger buses.
"With this equipment, we measure the vehicle's total power output. It goes beyond assessing the motor alone and allows us to evaluate the vehicle's overall performance," Grave Capistrán said.
KEY FACT: The passenger version of Olinia is expected to cost 150,000 Mexican pesos (approximately US$7,500), with market availability scheduled for summer 2027.
The type of equipment installed at CIITA is typically found in major automotive manufacturing facilities. It measures energy efficiency by generating power and torque curves while recording revolutions per minute (RPM) during acceleration.
"This allows us to compare the readings shown on the vehicle's dashboard with high-precision data collected by specialized software," he said.
The dynamometer also uses eddy currents to apply controlled electromagnetic resistance through its rollers, simulating braking forces under demanding conditions.
Grave Capistrán noted that testing vehicles under extreme operating conditions helps determine their performance limits. "During a range test, running the vehicle at 30 kilometers per hour for 10 minutes allows us to determine the exact percentage of battery depletion. The dynamometer lets us carry out these standardized tests in a controlled laboratory environment, without relying on public-road testing," he said.
He also highlighted the importance of simulating road gradients during dynamic testing to reproduce the conditions vehicles encounter when traveling uphill.
Through CIITA, the Polytechnic Institute makes this testing infrastructure available to automotive companies and public-sector organizations, supporting technological development in the region, which is home to major manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Audi México.
CIITA has been operating for three years and has been based at its current facility in the Capital of Technology and Sustainability in San José Chiapa, Puebla, for the past two years. The center has received expressions of interest from national and international companies seeking to develop collaborative research and development projects using its chassis dynamometer and Comprehensive Electric Vehicle Charging Compliance System.
"We worked with a company from Coahuila to evaluate an electric vehicle charger, and in the Puebla region, we submitted an automation proposal for a recycled-pavement packaging system," Grave Capistrán said.
Cardoso Palomares explained that CIITA's Electromobility Charging Compliance Laboratory provides services to industry, academic institutions, and government agencies.
"The laboratory is designed specifically for electromobility applications. Its work covers not only electric vehicles, but also charging infrastructure, system design, safety standards, and communication protocols," he said.
The facility also has advanced electrical load detection systems used to verify interoperability, communication parameters, and charging compliance in accordance with international electromobility standards.
Cardoso Palomares said that CIITA Puebla has quickly established a strong reputation in the automotive sector through its specialized technical services, supported by an engineering team that includes numerous IPN graduates.
Both Grave Capistrán and Cardoso Palomares expressed their pride in contributing to a project that began with a challenge issued by President Claudia Sheinbaum to IPN students and has since developed through collaboration among several institutions. As IPN graduates themselves, they highlighted the contributions of Polytechnic engineers to Olinia's design and mechanical development.
Following the laboratory tests, the research team—led by Product Quality and Validation Lead Rafael Lara Hernández, together with engineers Eduardo Orozco Pérez, a UPIITA graduate, and Isaac López Álvarez, an ESIME Zacatenco graduate—conducted a road test on the campus's internal circuit.
QUICK FACT: The Secretariat of Energy (SENER) and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) are currently deploying 2,000 public charging points across Mexico City, the State of Mexico, and Puebla.
Tomás Garduño Pérez, Director of CIITA Puebla, said he was proud that Olinia's engineering team had selected the facility for technical validation.
"This milestone allows us to contribute to a major national initiative while placing our laboratories and researchers at the service of the country," he said.
He added that Olinia represents an important step at a time when electric mobility is expanding worldwide. "We are positioning Mexico at the forefront of this transition, and Olinia is a symbol of that progress."
After driving the vehicle, Garduño Pérez reported positive results. "It is remarkably quiet, as electric vehicles are, and handles exceptionally well. It comfortably accommodated our team during the drive, with enough interior space to make it a practical option for Mexican families," he said.
During the official presentation of Olinia's pickup version at the National Palace on August 20, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo reiterated the importance of electric mobility in reducing environmental impacts.
"Greenhouse gas emissions from an internal combustion engine will always be higher than those from an electric vehicle, particularly when electricity generation incorporates renewable energy sources," she said.
While noting that electric vehicles are more efficient than conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines, the President acknowledged that their higher purchase prices have historically limited access to EV technology and its lower operating costs.
"Olinia addresses this gap with a design tailored to the economic reality of Mexican families while offering high operating efficiency. That is the purpose behind bringing these electric vehicles to the domestic market," she said.
Addressing the engineering team, President Sheinbaum said the project demonstrates that "the talent of young Mexican scholars—who consistently earn international recognition in mathematics, physics, and science—can contribute directly to industrial and technological development in our country."
She said the project has focused on key factors such as range, speed, manufacturing costs, and low maintenance requirements to keep the vehicle affordable.
To support production, she announced that Nacional Financiera (Nafinsa) will issue a public call for strategic industrial partners involved in manufacturing and commercial distribution. "The government will provide initial capital through Nacional Financiera, complemented by private-sector investment," she said.
She also underscored the importance of student participation. "Electromobility programs at the Polytechnic Institute and TecNM will remain directly integrated into this initiative, giving young scholars the opportunity to participate in innovation and industrial manufacturing firsthand," she said.
Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez, Secretary of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation (Secihti), announced that a public tender for Olinia's production would be conducted in coordination with Nacional Financiera under transparent, competitive guidelines.
"We are seeking industrial partners with proven expertise and a long-term vision to generate domestic value. The objective is clear: to build a resilient company with majority Mexican capital that can manufacture these vehicles domestically," she said.
Roberto Capuano Tripp, Olinia's Project Director, explained that the pickup version has a payload capacity of 650 kilograms and a range of more than 120 kilometers on a single charge, making it suitable for short-distance commercial transportation.
Because of its electric architecture, the space beneath the rear cargo bed can be used as an enclosed lower storage compartment for tools and equipment. The cargo bed also has fold-down side panels to facilitate loading and unloading.
"The vehicle comfortably seats two adults, can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet, and has exceptionally low operating costs. Operating it costs four times less than a standard light commercial truck and one-third as much as a motorized cargo tricycle," Capuano Tripp said.
KEY FACT: Operating an Olinia cargo vehicle costs four times less than operating a standard light commercial vehicle.
Capuano Tripp emphasized that Olinia creates a new vehicle category designed specifically for low-speed, short-distance urban transportation. "These are neither motorcycles nor standard cars—they are micro-vehicles."
He thanked the Secretariat of Economy for establishing the regulatory framework needed for this new vehicle category. "Olinia demonstrates that Mexico has the technical capability to develop solutions for its own mobility needs. The next step is to turn this project into a full-scale commercial venture capable of manufacturing, distributing, and servicing vehicles nationwide," he said.
Capuano Tripp concluded by noting that initial mass production is projected to reach 10,000 units during the first year, with 8,000 units already pre-committed to public and commercial fleets in several Mexican states.
INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO NACIONAL
D.R. Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN). Av. Luis Enrique Erro S/N, Unidad Profesional Adolfo López Mateos, Zacatenco, Alcaldía Gustavo A. Madero, C.P. 07738, Ciudad de México. Conmutador: 55 57 29 60 00 / 55 57 29 63 00.
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