SAIPA unveiled its electric vehicle in the Automobile Industry Transformation Exhibition.
The exhibition, held at Tehran’s International Fairground on Aug. 25-28, was an opportunity for domestic automakers to introduce their capabilities and achievements to industrialists and customers, and prepare the ground for cooperation with other automakers.
SAIPA Group displayed the full range of its products, including Saina S hatchback electric vehicle, at this expo, Khabar Khodro reported.
The first version or the concept of this car was unveiled in the fiscal 2018-19, which is the result of cooperation between Khajeh Nasir al-Din Toosi University of Technology’s Facility of Mechanics, SAIPA Research Center and Belgium’s Punch Powertrain Company.
Saina S electric is one of the next generations of the X200 project. The car uses an electric engine equal to 70 kW or 94 horsepower, can go from zero to a hundred in 12 seconds and has a maximum speed of 130 km/h.
Its lithium-ion battery can be charged in four hours and travel a distance of 200 km.
No other detail has been made public about this domestic EV and those who are interested in this vehicle will have to wait for SAIPA's next announcement.
What encouraged most global car manufacturers to produce electric cars is the fact that clean and environmentally friendly vehicles are imperative to stave off serious threats facing the earth caused by climate change.
The high emissions of gasoline and diesel cars, the low cost of charging electric vehicles which is said to be a third of the cost of refueling gasoline and diesel cars, lowering greenhouse emissions and reducing lung and respiratory diseases are among the benefits of promoting EVs.
The unveiling of electric Saina shows the movement of Iranian automobile manufacturers in this direction and the bright prospects of EVs in the domestic automobile industry.
Cooperation of Two Major Carmakers
Industries, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Fatemi-Amin recently unveiled a new domestic economy car at this expo.
According to the minister, Iran Khodro and SAIPA, the two major Iranian automakers, will cooperate in the production of this vehicle, which currently has not been named, in the sixth month of the next fiscal year (Aug. 23-Sept. 22, 2023).
This economy car is a Class A vehicle with a maximum horsepower of 70-75, a maximum engine torque of 90-100 Newton meters and a distance of 2,430 mm between its two axles, Tejarat News reported.
According to the preliminary announcement, the car in question will look like SAIPA’s QUIK, be priced under 2 billion rials ($6,745) and roll out in the second half of the next fiscal year that starts on March 21, 2023.
In the last few years, the prices of domestic cars have skyrocketed to such an extent that they have become unaffordable for most people and the low quality of these high-priced cars also triggered the criticism of the Islamic Republic of Iran Police.
Despite their unreasonably high prices, domestic vehicles are in demand, as the purchases are made with the intention of making investment for earning a quick profit.
EV Conversion Cost-Effective
Experts believe the conversion of domestic gasoline-powered cars to electric vehicle is more economical than producing a new one.
Earlier, the production of electric cars was touted by several domestic automakers, while some imported electric cars in the form of complete knocked-down kits and tested them.
In the past few years, several electric cars were imported and a number of domestic cars were also electrified, but at the end, nothing substantial came out of it and the production of these cars remained in limbo, the news portal of Donyaye Khodro reported.
Due to the high price of electric vehicles, lack of government subsidies and absence of charging infrastructure, the production of EVs in Iran will not gain momentum anytime soon.
Under the circumstances, the conversion of domestic gasoline-powered cars to electric vehicles is the most cost-effective option for promoting the use of EVs in Iran.
"You replace the engine and gearbox of domestic gasoline cars with batteries and electric motors,” the expert said.
Nafari noted that the body and other equipment of these cars are produced domestically.
“Although electric car batteries must be imported at present, Iran has the technology to produce the engine domestically,” he said.
