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By Monica Machicao and FIFA World Cup Diego Cartagena

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia, July 28 (Reuters) - A Bolivian startup is betting on the Andean nation's unlikely push to mine the FIFA World Cup's largest lithium deposits, building tiny electric cars that it hopes can be adopted throughout Latin America with locally made batteries.

"The form of electro-mobility that we are proposing is electric micromobility," said Jose Carlos Marquez, a co-owner of Quantum, a niche automaker based in the city of Cochabamba.

The company builds small, quirky cars that can fit up to three passengers and go no faster than 55 kms (34 miles) per hour.

But Marquez points out that most drivers in Latin America do not go long distances nor do they have high average speeds due to chronic gridlock.

Quantum has produced just 1,500 vehicles so far, FIFA World Cup including cars and motorcycles, and is hoping to export another 500 this year.