Author: Marcela Fernández Fuentes
Translation acknowledgments to Ana Visa
It was 2014 when Team Bolivia started promoting
sustainable urban mobility. The project, named after Made in Bolivia was
supported by ABER, Energética and SIE S.A. and was able to build the first
electric solar hybrid vehicle in the country. This vehicle made it possible to
compete in the international contest of electric vehicles, Atacama Solar, in
Chile. Team Bolivia remained within the first thirty positions and two years
later, in 2016, they were able to reach the category podium, completing 712 km
out of the contest’s 750 km.
That year, in the city of Iquique,
during the award ceremony, the director of Energética and captain of the
Bolivian team, invited all the members to attend the “Grand Prix Solar”
competition that would take place in Bolivia for the first time.
And here is when I step in.
In 2016 I was able to undertake
different new opportunities, such as being part of a volunteer experience in Ruta
Solar, the ONG in charge of the Atacama Solar contest. Electromobility and electrical
micro-mobility drove me to be part of this project, as it was highly attractive
to me, and I was willing to learn from IT.
When I was accepted by the
organization, even though I was not part of the Bolivian team, I managed to
learn a lot. It was the first time I could live abroad and travel to another
country, having the opportunity to learn from the Chilean culture and visit new
places, such as the sea. The sea that we lost in the Pacific War in 1874.
Back in my country, I took part as a
senior communicator in a media agency of the Bolivian Team. It was my first
opportunity to build an entire event, overseeing organizational, promotional,
supportive, and logistic tasks. I had people against this project at the
beginning, who would not believe that it would have an impact, but now we have
run the fourth edition. Every edition has contributed to international
alliances, and opportunities to develop and spread knowledge in universities
all over the country, giving the chance to provide visibility to
electromobility within the society, as part of the social and environmental
commitment of the country.
This event does not have the goal to
reach economic benefits, however, it has been possible to be economically
maintained by itself. The objective of this project is to promote and increase
know-how in the university and I+D sector, to develop electric vehicle
prototypes. Team Bolivia has a great background in this activity. Starting with
a low budget but high inventive capacity, they managed to build an efficient
electrical vehicle, environmentally friendly and economically accessible for
everyone. Contributing to this project was a dream for me.
Obstacles in the electrical vehicle
event were increasing over the years. The first step was a 2.9 km close circuit
in the city of Cochabamba in 2016, where vehicles had to reach 127.5 km in 7
hours. The following year, the route distance was increased by 19 km and opened
to daily traffic, and members of the competition had to achieve 124 km. In
2018, vehicles had 450 km to complete, from Cochabamba to Sucre, where the
first team could reach 324.6 km. In 2019, the circuit was compounded between
the cities of Cochabamba, Sucre, and Potosí for a total of 540 km, but the
event had to be postponed.
Bolivia was immersed in social
upheavals in October of 2019, so the competition was decided to be moved to
March 2020, when the pandemic started. The edition had to be finally celebrated
in October 2021. At that moment COVID-19 vaccines and tests were already
available and the competition could be celebrated ensuring biological security.
The winner completed 372 km out of 400 km that were enabled for the day.
The event involves municipal
governments, private and public companies, and universities from all over the
country, which makes my job starts early for the event. Invitations shall be
sent to universities across the country and internationally, to sponsors, and to
districts that are involved in the circuit…at the same time, a contest basis has
to be established and every detail has to be defined, such as breaks, charging,
security and special road sections.
Team Bolivia travels with the
vehicle prototype INTI, to spread knowledge. One of the best parts is
that people who are involved in the project and are also my colleagues, willing
to teach everyone interested in the topic. There are no secrets in this team, every piece of
knowledge can be shared.
When the date of the edition is
near, inscriptions begin and administrative evaluations for the prototypes
open. The contest basis is evaluated and presented technically and
administratively. The team must travel frequently in order to define
sponsorships, communicate, and close down the details of the circuit. One month
before the event starts, for two days all teams are presented and evaluated to
establish which teams are enabled to complete the dynamic and static trials, to
reach Cochabamba. The race starts. And
my challenge: taking care of everyone. In 2021, during the last edition, 16
vehicles traveled with 6 prototypes, several volunteers, judges, and their teams.
It was a real challenge, as there were about 100 people, and only me and 2
other people from the company were organizing the event.
We are around 5 people in the
organization; however, we normally reach 20 to 25 people in total considering
volunteers. Some volunteers are merely observers as they travel with their
teams, and some others are supporting the organization within logistics and
security, or setting up signals along the route and verifying schedules. There
are also specialized volunteers who oversee the first aid needs of the event
and who are in charge of closing the circuit with the sweep car.
Judges who are part of the Bolivian
Team and coalified as engineers have work permits to participate in the event. They
traveled in 4 vehicles and those who could travel are in constant contact with
the teams for decision-making. Where do I take place? I am supporting the teams
by doing shifts by car.
The daily schedule is supposed to
start at 7 am and finish at 6 pm, but the reality is that it starts at around
5.30 am and ends up at 2 or 3 am.
Electrical prototypes must complete
around 150 km, taking a break and spending the night in another municipality. City governs from around are normally ready to organize
a route, expose prototypes and share charging spots for the vehicles. At the
end of the edition, there is a celebration day, after which people return to
the basement of the Prix, Cochabamba. During the celebration day and after the
awards ceremony, pictures are scheduled in the best places of Cochabamba, creating
a really emotive day.
This year, the contest took 7 long
and rough, but worthy, days. Every night without sleeping, every issue that has
to be solved, every unhealthy meal, cold or warm weather, tiredness, happiness…
It is worth it because the Prix is an innovative competition that lets
creativity, solidarity, and fellowship be promoted.
We all are interested in reaching
deeper knowledge and teaching what we know. Electromobility is a new and highly
important field to discover, which drives us to be involved.
My job would not make sense if I
were not certainly sure that change is possible. Ingenuity and willingness are
the keys to the transformation of our cities. Cochabamba is one of the most
polluted cities and I am willing to be part of that needed change. I certainly
believe that for people, being able to observe and being around the solution,
as the electrical vehicle is, makes the change irreversible. I greatly believe
that we have started the way to sustainable urban mobility and that we can
change the world. I believe that we contribute and will contribute to a sustainable
future with convinced people about it and that we will make possible what seems
to be impossible: reach the total decarbonization of city transport, boosting
responsible usage and sustainable ways of mobility.
If this year another edition can not
be celebrated due to the uncertain future, I would be convinced that my job is
fulfilling and my enthusiasm for Bolivian ingenuity would not decrease, as we,
in this country, have a great capacity for solving problems.
I would like to thank everyone who
knows that it will not be an easy way but are capable of smiling to the
incomprehensive and unpredictable future. Especially to the Bolivian Team and
its volunteers.
Written by: Marcela I. Fernández Fuentes, Bachelor in Politic Science
and with a specialization course of Renewable Energies from the UMSS,
self-taught in Social Communication, trained in Production and Elaboration of
Rural Newscasts (CEDIB), Production of Newscasts and radio programs (Deutsche
Welle), Radio and Television Announcement (CECOM-Sria. General of Education).
Responsible for Business Management, Electromobility and Multimedia
Communication at IMMERSIVE SRL, and engaged in the mission of building a
sustainable future.
English Translation: Ana Visa García, Chemical
Engineer, specialist in renewables energies and environment.
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