Building cars and breaking stereotypes in Mexico

STORY: Puebla state, Mexico

This electric car factory in Mexico

is full of women mechanics

and headed up by a female entrepreneur.

Nazareth Black hopes her brand will help defy gender norms in the car industry

[Nazareth Black, Zacua Brand Director]

"We have the right to be part of the automotive sector - and I say 'we' because I am a woman, so I say we have the right of being part of it. That is why we decided to open these spaces."

[TRAILBLAZERS STING]

Created in 2017, Zacua calls itself Mexico's first electric car brand.

Each car is built by hand in the central Mexican state of Puebla.

Currently, the company offers two different car models: MX2 and MX3.

Both cost around $30,000 dollars.

The car's battery takes eight hours to fully charge and will last close to 100 miles per charge.

It can reach a maximum speed of 53 miles per hour.

"Our battery lasts for 3000 charge cycles. When this life span is over and the battery is no longer efficient for the car - and this happens with all batteries, not just ours - it has only lost 20% of its total efficiency. This means it still has 80% of useful life. Instead of getting rid of it, we are the only brand globally that has a plan in place to create a safekeeping, take care of those batteries and give them a second life until they finish giving all they can give."

Black hopes the female-led project will help fight gender inequality in Mexico

and tackle problems in traditionally male-dominated industries like the gender pay gap

"For me it is a very important issue because it is an industry that was built in a certain way. Firstly, it was built around the combustion engine, and secondly, it was built around the male gender. So, it is important to start transforming this industry in our country because that will allow this transformation to impact other industries that are also very masculine. For me, it is a great pleasure to be able to contribute with spreading the message that the issue of the gender gap in our country exists and that it must be addressed."