Domestic Co. Starts EV Production

The production of 100 Iran-made small electric cars called Yooz developed at a knowledge-based firm affiliated to the Islamic Azad University Qazvin, has started, according to the university dean.

Morteza Mousakhani said the vehicles are going through the process of getting number plates, Mehr News Agency reported.

He further added that several parts used in the model have been ordered for mass production, and soon will be delivered by the local auto parts makers.

Yooz is a new version of the two-seater micro-electric vehicle designed and developed by engineers at Parax Company. The company specializes in designing small electric cars, as reported by Financial Tribune last year.

The two-seat battery-powered EV is 120 centimeters wide and two meters long. Its small size can help reduce parking problems in overcrowded major urban areas.

It weighs 400 kilograms, and when charged for three hours can cruise for 200 kilometers at 80 k/h. The car's maximum speed is 100 k/h and as far as looks go, Yooz closely resembles Renault's zero-emission quadricycle Twizy.

For comparison sakes, the Twizy weighs 474 kilograms and has a maximum driving range of 100 kilometers, according to the French company.

Mousakhani had earlier said the car was planned for mass production provided there was demand, adding that it has started negotiations with three major investors and hoped to start commercial production of the car in the current fiscal that started in March.

Promoting EVs

There have been some measures in recent years to promote the use of eco-friendly vehicles such as hybrids and EVs.

President Hassan Rouhani's administration has taken steps to pave the way to achieve this goal. Research and development is underway in the auto industry and research is being done in universities to encourage local manufacturers to move to green vehicles.

The removal of import tariffs on hybrid cars is among such moves as a way to incentivize local carmakers to shift gears and produce alternative fuel production vehicles.

Moreover, owners of petrol/electric hybrid vehicles have been exempted from paying fees to enter restricted traffic zones in the big cities. In the capital they must register their car with the Tehran Municipality before being given clearance to drive in the restricted areas.