The first consignment of Ario taxis will be delivered soon to Isfahan's Taxi Organization.
About 150 units have been loaded and are ready for delivery, local automotive website Asre Khodro reported.
Ario is a Chinese-derived vehicle produced by Iran's second biggest car producer SAIPA. It is a sedan originally made by the Chinese carmaker Zotye under the name Z300.
The car was originally based off the back of the Japan-only Toyota Allion sedan.
Detailing some of the advantages of the car, Reza Taqizadeh, SAIPA's marketing and sales deputy, noted that some of its attractive features include the automatic gearbox, fuel-efficiency, nationwide after-sales services and affordable auto parts.
The final price of the taxis was not mentioned, but the official explained that 320 million rials ($9,000) of the price will be loaned to the buyers. They will have to repay this amount in installments over 48 months at a 16% interest rate.
Last week, Masoud Tabibi, CEO of the National Association of Urban Taxi Management Organization, had said the car is ideal for use in the country's taxi fleet.
The official had made the statement while visiting the research and development center of SAIPA on the outskirts of Tehran.
Tabibi had said Ario's size and legroom meet the standards required in a taxi, local automotive news website Persian Khodro reported at the time.
"If SAIPA and the association arrive at a strategic agreement, the car can be used in the country's taxi fleet in large numbers," Tabibi had said.
After SAIPA's Tondar 90 (Dacia-Logan), this is the second car from SAIPA to enter the country's taxi fleet.
