LA PAZ, April 11 (Reuters) - Bolivian President Luis Arce said on Tuesday the country may start exporting lithium batteries starting by 2026, as part of the government's plan to industrialize the vast resources of the white metal, a key component for powering electric vehicles.

In an interview on local TV, Arce said direct extraction methods would help the country produce cathodes by 2025 and export lithium batteries by the start of the following year. (Reporting by Daniel Ramos and Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Sarah Morland)