SAIC Plans to Sell Hybrids in Iran

Shanghai-based SAIC Motor Corporation, which produces Roewe and MG vehicles, plans to introduce three hybrid vehicles to the Iranian market at the  Tehran Auto Show in February, which will be held at the new exhibition center Shahr Aftab (Sun City), south of the capital.

Asre Khodro reports that the three new models will be presented to the local market, but does not say whether they will be MG or Roewe branded.

SAIC currently produces five plug-in hybrid vehicles for the East Asian market,  three of which will be headed to the annual show come February.

First is the E550, which was introduced to the Chinese market in 2013. The E550 has a range of around 600km using a combined electric-petrol drive-train, according to official literature.  

The company sells around 2,000 of the e550s in China market every month, EV Obsession adds, making it the fifth most popular hybrid in that huge market.  Over the first half of 2016, the company sold 10776 of the flagship model.

 ERX5

There is also the ERX5, which is a variant of the RX5 crossover model, with a plug-in option targeted at younger buyers. The car’s range is 650km using a combination cycle.

The ERX5 was introduced at the Guangzhou Automotive Show in November.

 E950

The next hybrid model produced by SAIC is the large Roewe E950 Netblue sedan model, which like its sibling models has a combined gasoline-electric range of 600km. The engine is a minuscule 1.7 liters.

 750 Hybrid

The Roewe 750 hybrid, is the oldest model produced by the company, formerly called the Rover 750 before China purchased the British brand. Accordingly, this vehicle has a range again of over 600Km, but like its other models is using a mixed powertrain to source its power.

 E50

The final alternative fuel car produced by the Chinese giant is an all-electric small city car, the E50. This vehicle has a range, according to the manufacturers, of 220km and can charge in eight hours flat.

Any of these vehicles above could be among the ones that the company will send to Iran. However, the Roewe brand has no traction in the local market and is likely to be re-badged as MG.

Import tariffs for hybrid and electric vehicles to the Islamic Republic are set currently at 4%. However, the market for hybrids now is limited to only two brands namely Toyota and Lexus.