Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology has launched a joint initiative with the University of Tehran for converting diesel- and gas-powered buses currently operating in the capital city into electric vehicles.
According to Shahriar Zeini, the head of Space Technologies Development Center at the vice presidential office, the project is aimed at curbing air pollution in the capital and bolstering the aging public transportation fleet, Mehr News Agency reported.
He said the project entails the replacement of the vehicles’ combustion components with electric engine system, performance optimization and weight reduction.
“Up to 80% of electric parts, including drive system, engines, batteries, DC converters and chargers, have been locally produced with the collaboration of Iranian knowledge-based companies,” he said.
Zeini noted that the first prototype is planned to be unveiled in early June.
“This is a revolutionary move in the country’s transportation sector and a great investment opportunity,” he said, calling on private entities and state institution to propel the plan with their financial support.
The official noted that a survey of the capital’s transport system shows that the best way to employ the revamped vehicles is gradually adding them to different bus routes in the capital to ensure a homogeneous renewal.
“With the use of would-be electric charging booths in bus terminals, the vehicles can recharge batteries during off-work hours at night. Efforts are underway to prepare the infrastructure required for the use of electric vehicles in the country,” he said.
Zeini also called for Tehran Municipality’s steady support for the renewal plan, which is one of the few solutions for breathing life into the metropolis’ transport system.
EV Chargers
Experts say MAPNA Group will probably take its share in developing the electric vehicle infrastructure.
MAPNA is the first local company to pave the way for the advent of EVs in the country by setting up several charging stations.
The company is working on establishing EV charging stations in all Iranian provinces by the fiscal yearend (March 2021), as a vital infrastructure for promoting zero emission vehicles in the country.
According to Aliabadi, Mashhad in Khorasan Razavi Province is the second city to house an electric charging station following the pioneering launch in Tehran.
Iran’s first EV charging station was set up at Tehran’s Milad Tower in May 2019 by MAPNA.
Built over 700 square meters, the station includes a 43-kilovolt alternating current charger, plus a fast charger working under the Chademo Protocol, a trade name of a quick charging method for electric vehicles, which suits Japanese and South Korean EV brands such as Kia, Nissan and Mitsubishi.
The station also includes a 4.7-kv slow charger and a 5.5-kv charger that can be used by electric motorcycles.
Aliabadi noted that the technology of producing electric vehicles is being taught in world universities for over 30 years now. He expressed his company's readiness to collaborate with car manufacturers and Tehran Taxi Organization to upgrade the country’s transport system with the help of EV technology.
Tehran Municipality Move
Streamlining the dilapidated bus fleet in the capital has been a challenge for urban managers, compelling them to take more efficient actions.
Last week, Tehran Municipality declared that it plans to spend 5 trillion rials ($21.2 million) on new buses to streamline the dilapidated bus fleet in the capital.
Mahmoud Tarfa, the head of Tehran Bus Company, said TM has issued participatory bonds worth 15 trillion rials ($63.82 million), one-third of which or $21.2 million are to be used for upgrading the bus fleet and the remaining will be invested on subway development.
“Besides the bonds, the municipality will also open up its coffers to expedite the bus fleet renewal,” he said.
Tarfa noted that a single-cabin bus costs around 40 billion rials ($170,000).
In June 2020, major domestic automaker Iran Khodro Company (IKCO) started collaboration with TM with a contract worth 4 trillion rials ($17 million) to deliver minibuses and LPG- and CNG-hybrid buses.
“A contract between IKCO and TM also restarted IKCO’s bus production lines after a long-drawn lull,” Mohammad Zali, the CEO of Iran Khodro Diesel, an IKCO subsidiary, said.
Zali noted that the production lines are running at a lower capacity to deliver 620 buses and minibuses to the municipality.
“By early November 2020, 40 LPG and diesel buses were inducted into the capital’s transport fleet. Domestic production of the vehicles cuts capital flight and creates jobs for 1,700 people,” he added.
The two sides have also signed a memorandum of understanding to produce 800 more buses by the end of the current Iranian year (March 20). The government and TM will line up finance for this initiative.
Hard Economic Times
In view of the economic hardships facing Iran due to the reimposition of US sanctions, the renovation of transportation fleet is facing difficulties.
The price of new passenger vehicles has seen a threefold jump, just like any other commodity.
After US President Donald Trump reneged on Iran’s nuclear accord and reimposed sanctions against Tehran last summer, the Iranian rial lost almost 70% of its value over the past year.
On Wednesday, the US dollar was traded at 240,000 rials in Tehran while it hardly fetched 42,000 rials in March 2018.
Following the sanctions, many foreign suppliers of vehicles and parts suspended collaboration with Iranian firms. The country cannot afford to import new buses in large numbers and local manufacturers do not have an adequate volume of parts to boost production.
These factors have derailed schemes for overhauling the transportation fleet. However, with the help of the government and automakers, urban planners are devising solutions to implement these schemes.
The commitment of officials and the timely allocation of funds will ensure these efforts yield the desired result.
