Iran’s biggest car producers gear up for hybrid, electric cars
By Trend
Iran Khodro (IKCO), the largest car producer of the Middle Eastern
nation, is planning to launch the production of hybrid and electric
cars in the near future, an official with the company told
Trend.
"Iran Khodro has concluded a multilateral deal with several
domestic universities and government bodies as well as foreign
partners, including Italy’s Pininfarina, to pave the ground for
manufacturing hybrid and electric cars," Morteza Aghaei, the head
of public relations office at the IKCO, told Trend.
The company is hopeful to launch the production of the hybrid and
electric cars within the next three years.
The key players of the automotive industry have recently voiced
interest in putting an end to the production of diesel and petrol
cars.
Earlier this month, China signaled that it might soon join the UK
and France in prohibiting combustion engine cars.
Iran’s passenger car output registered a rise by 20 percent during
the first five months of the current fiscal year (March 20-Aug.
21), standing at 496,833 units.
According to the industry ministry, Iran Khodro accounted for
273,441 units of the total number manufactured during the
five-month period, 16.8 percent more year-on-year.
Meanwhile Saipa, the second largest Iranian auto-maker manufactured
134,684 units, 21 percent up compared to the same period of the
preceding year.