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Flávio Assis, who calls himself the “Brazilian Elon Musk”, promised the first national electric car, but the reality is different. Lecar will change its focus to hybrids, will produce vehicles in China and is facing weak results in pre-sales.
In the race to revolutionize the national automotive market, an audacious promise made by a Brazilian businessman has attracted attention in recent months.
With million-dollar ads and comparisons with none other than Elon Musk, the expectation of a 100% Brazilian electric vehicle was widely publicized.
But reality revealed something very different., frustrating those who believed in the futuristic and innovative dream.
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According to information gathered by the journalist Boris Feldman, an automobile specialist, and published in his column in CNN Brazil this Tuesday (17), the car announced by businessman Flávio Figueiredo Assis will not be electric, nor will it be produced nationally.
Between changes in the project, factory transfers and controversial announcements, the trajectory of the Lecar company was far from delivering what was promised.
The “Brazilian Elon Musk” and his initial promises
Flávio Figueiredo Assis, a millionaire who made his fortune in the financial market, created the company Lecar with the dream of manufacturing the first national electric car. The promise was bold, but over time, the speech began to change.
Lecar's headquarters were established in São Paulo, while the factory would initially be set up in Caxias do Sul, in Rio Grande do Sul.
According to the businessman himself, the Lecar 459, the debut model, would undergo a rigorous homologation process in London, with impact, aerodynamic and safety assessments.
The initial market launch forecast was December 2024, priced at R $ 279 thousand and autonomy of 400km per charge.
“Production would be massive, with 50 thousand units per year”, said the businessman.
Changes of plans and the shift to hybrid
During 2024, production was transferred to Espírito Santo, Assis' home state. However, in addition to the geographical change, the idea of an electric car was abandoned.
According to him, the hybrid model would better meet market demands and would have its cost reduced by half, now fixed at R $ 143 thousand.
Throughout his statements, Assis announced that, in addition to the initial sedan, Lecar would produce a pickup, called CyberCampo, a clear reference to Cybertruck from Tesla.
Failed attempt to occupy the Ford factory
Lecar also showed interest in acquiring the factory Ford in Camaçari, Bahia, competing directly with the Chinese giant BYD.
However, as the Bahian government pointed out, the company did not even present the minimum necessary documentation to participate in the bidding. Unable to complete the negotiation, the victory went to BYD.
Production in China and government “support”
Given the difficulties in making a viable factory in Brazil, Assis announced that the first units of the car will be produced in China.
The new forecast indicates that the prototypes will be ready in March 2025, with deliveries scheduled for August de 2026.
Furthermore, the businessman stated that Lecar would receive R$ 3 billion from the government. However, as highlighted Boris Feldman in your analysis, there is no public funding allocated to the project.
The announced value actually refers to the total taxes that the company would no longer have to collect if it were fully operating within the Mover program, a federal government mobility incentive policy.
History of failed projects
The dream of launching a national car has already been a source of frustration at other times in the Brazilian industry.
Companies such as IBAP, Obvio, Megastar and Bravo Motors They also tried to follow this path, but failed due to lack of structure and resources.
The most notorious example is that of Bravo Motors, which promises since 2021 manufacture batteries and electric vehicles, but to date it has not managed to raise the investment needed to get off the ground.
Controversial pre-sale and timid results
Despite numerous obstacles, Lecar launched a pre sale of its first model. Interested parties could reserve the vehicle by paying a deposit R$1.300.
According to the company's marketing director, only 26 people showed interest in purchasing the car.
Even so, Assis announced the launch of a second batch of a thousand units, justifying the movement based on the “success of the plan”.
In short, the promise of a 100% Brazilian electric car was nothing more than a marketing strategy.
The vehicle will be a hybrid, manufactured in China, and is still far from entering commercial production.
Reality versus promise
For many, the trajectory of Flávio Figueiredo Assis and Lecar resembles a series of unfulfilled promises.
Without a factory, without an electric car and with questionable pre-sale results, the project remains shrouded in uncertainty.
Will the “Brazilian Elon Musk” be able to realize his dream, or will Lecar join the list of companies that fell by the wayside?
Pickaxe
Did anyone believe him??? I didn't!!!