Iran's IKCO Plans for a Low-cost Car

Javad Najmeddin, IKCO CEO in this regard said, "In order to gain more domestic and international market share and meet customers' demands, IKCO is going to design and present eight new products within the next five years.

Najmeddin then pointed out that two of these eight new cars would be designed and manufactured on totally new platforms, one of which would belong to A or B segment and would cost 8000 to 10000 dollars.

"The Design and production of an eight thousand dollar passenger car that meets all modern standards is a difficult and complicated process," IKCO CEO said and added, "when we talk of a low-cost car, we still consider a quality car that observes all required standards."

Paykan was one of IKCO's most popular sedans that was phased out in 2006.

Made in Palestine: Cars Work on Compressed Air

Imagine that your car could run on compressed air instead of gas; that is exactly what Immad Hasuna, a Palestinian mechanic has done.

Hasuna, age 26, owns a small car repair shop in the central West Bank city of Ramallah, descendant from a 1948 refugee family; he is a simple mechanic that did not go to school to learn his trade.

The idea started two years ago, Hassina says, as he was cleaning a truck engine using compressed air, the car moved few meters due the air purser in the engine. This made him think about how an air purser could be used to move the truck faster and for long distance.

Later, Hasuna experimented with his idea by hooking an air compressor in a truck and use the air purser to make the car engine run, the experiment worked and the first engine working on air was born.

The new engine is safe, it does not explode in accidents, and does not heat up, in fact because of the compressed air the engine cools with more distance the car drives, Hasuna explains. In addition this engine will be cheaper to operate.

Regarding the environment, since the engine does not operate with gas there are no ignition fumes and the car does not generate CO2, making Hasuna's engine 100% environmentally friendly.

The Palestinian Authority granted Hasuna a patent on his engine, he won the first prize at the Made In Palestine Contest. In addition, the Palestinian Prime Mister Salam Fayyad donated a government car for Hasuna to do experiments on.

Hasuna says that he is looking for funding to continue working on his engine, he hopes that this engine will be available for consumers soon.

The first fully made in Palestine car unveiled

'Mary Seeds' is the first electric car of Palestinian unveiled in its final form in the contest and exhibition Made in Palestine, 2010, which runs from 23-25 November 2010 in Ramallah in the West Bank.

Actually this is the third electric car made in Palestine, but will be the first made in Ramallah. Palestinian scientist in Gaza has developed the first Palestinian electric car in Gaza. see here. and also in Hebron

Gaza also developing the first racing car on their own ability. See here.