Iran unveils 3rd solar car

Iran has unveiled Iranian Gazelle 2, the country's third solar vehicle completely designed and developed by Iranian scientists and experts.

"The vehicle weighs 150kg, which is 100kg lighter than its predecessor Gazelle 1,” project manager Dr. Karen Abrinia said during the unveiling ceremony held at Tehran University on Sunday.

Iranian Gazelle 1 and Iranian Gazelle 2 were designed and produced in 2004.
Head of Iran's Fuel Management Committee Mohammad Rouyanian, managing director of Iran's Fuel Optimization Organization Abbas Kazemi and Tehran University Chancellor Farhad Rahbar participated at the ceremony.

"The Brushless DC engine used in this car gives it a 97 percent efficiency, which means that the vehicle wastes the minimum amount of energy," Fars News Agency quoted Abrinia as saying.

"Road tests showed that Gazelle 2 can reach the speed of 120km/h, but we believe that it can be increased to 150km/h," he added.

The veteran mechanics expert also said that the solar cells used in the car have 22 percent efficiency enabling Gazelle 2 to travel a distance of 600km at the speed of 80 km/h if the weather is sunny.

Iranian university students also unveiled a solar car earlier this month which they claim can travel at more than 130 kilometers per hour.

Designed and made by the students of the vehicular research department at the University of Qazvin, the car is named 'Havin' meaning 'shining sun'.

Havin is five meters long and two meters wide and is another example of attempts made by Iranian scientists to reduce energy consumption by producing more environment-friendly devices in all sectors.

Iranian Gazelle 2 is due to compete in the 2011 World Solar Challenge competition in Australia this October, according to Rahbar.

The competition challenges over a hundred of the world's best Technical Universities and Colleges to design and build a car capable of crossing Australia on the power of the sun.

The Challenge, which begins on October 16, crosses the center of Australia - stretching 3,000 kilometers from Darwin to Adelaide.

Perajin Onderdil Otomotif Purbalingga Ikut Bangun Anoa dan ATPM Mobil Asing

Setelah mendapat kepercayaan dari sejumlah ATPM (Agen Tunggal Pemegang Merek) mobil terkenal seperti Mercedes Benz, Suzuki, Daihatsu, dan Toyota, knalpot produksi perajin Purbalingga (Jateng) ternyata juga digunakan pada kendaraan tempur jenis panser dan tank.

''PT Pindad yang secara rutin memesan knalpot Purbalingga, tak hanya menggunakannya untuk panser bagi TNI-AD. Tapi juga untuk panser yang dibuat guna memenuhi pesanan dari Malaysia dan Lebanon,'' kata seorang perajin knalpot Purbalingga, Muhajirin, Jumat (1/4).









Dia menyebutkan, pesanan knalpot untuk kendaraan tempur TNI-AD, sebenarnya sudah dilakukan PT Pindad sejak tahun 2009/2010. Pada saat itu, jumlah permintaan memang tidak banyak, rata-rata 150 buah knalpot per tahun. Sedikitnya pesanan knalpot tersebut, karena pesanan pembuatan tank oleh TNI kepada PT Pindad juga masih sedikit.




Namun pada tahun 2011 ini, PT Pindad juga mendapat pesanan pembuatan panser dari Malaysia dan Lebanon. Berdasarkan informasi yang diperoleh Muhajirin dari PT Pindad, panser yang dipesan adalah kendaraan tempur Panser Anoa 6 kali 6. ''Untuk kebutuhan pembuatan panser tersebut, kami juga mendapat permintaan untuk memenuhi kebutuhan knalpotnya,'' katanya.




Saat ini, Muhajirin mengaku telah mengirimkan 11 unit knalpot untuk panser Anoa pesanan Lebanon, dan 32 unit knalpot untuk Panser pesanan dari Malaysia. Knalpot yang dipesan, ermasuk bagian mufler (kendang knalpot) dan exhause (pipa pengeluaran)-nya.






Menurutnya, Panser Anoa 6 X 6 adalah sejenis kendaraan tempur pengangkut personil atau APC (Armoured personal carrier) dengan sistem penggerak 6 roda simetris.

Sebelumnya, Muhajirin mengaku telah secara rutin memasok mufler knalpot untuk jenis kendaraan panser mortir, panser recovery, dan panser Anoa-2. Semua pasokan atas permintaan PT Pindad.






''Hingga saat ini, kami telah mengirimkan 300 unit knalpot untuk kendaraan tank dan panser yang digarap PT Pindad. Dalam waktu dekat, kami juga tengah diminta memasok lagi knalpot untuk tank-tank model baru yang akan dibuat untuk memperkuat kendaraan TNI,'' katanya.

Dipilihnya knalpot produksi perajin Purbalingga, antara lain karena karena kualitasnya cukup baik dan mampu meredam suara.

Etox Electric Sports Car Heralds From Turkey

Etox, Turkey’s first sports car, is set to have an electric version in the coming months according to the manufacturer’s interview with Anadolu Agency this week. Ercan Malkoc, owner of Erteks Auto Decoration, says the car has an economical advantage in addition to being an environmentally friendly version of the original, stating that the Etox’s battery can be charged for $10 dollars and drive for nearly 155 miles.

The original, non-electric version of the car was released in 2007, and boosts a top speed of 115 mph using a 4-cylinder system. The electric prototype’s specifications have yet to be released, and will probably stay that way until the car is completed over the next three months. Provided the Turkish government can lend necessary assistance, the auto-maker claims large-scale production of the electric Etox could start within one year of the prototype’s debut.

Turkey unveils new electric car mabe by Os Car

Oscar, Turkish electric car manufacturing company unveils new design of its electric car. See the detail here..

AsiaNusa siap protes bila Mobnas lokal mendapat perlakuan diskriminasi oleh pemerintah

Rencana pemerintah Indonesia mengeluarkan regulasi tentang produk low cost and green car menuai kritik pedas dari asosiasi produsen mobil nasional yang tergabung dalam Asosiasi Industri Automotif Nusantara (AsiaNusa). Mereka mendesak pemerintah supaya tak terlalu memihak investor asing dan menyingkirkan kesempatan industri mobil nasional untuk bersaing.

Dewa Yuniardi, Ketua Bidang Marketing dan Komunikasi AsiaNusa kepada Kompas.com menjelaskan, produsen mobil nasional pernah meminta insentif oleh pemerintah agar mendapat keringanan dalam memproduksi micro car (mobil bermesin 1.000 cc ke bawah), tapi tak terlalu digubris. Meski demikian, mereka tak patah arang dan tetap berjalan dengan segala keterbatasan.

"Kami akhirnya memutuskan supaya jalan terus, dengan catatan tak dibeda-bedakan. Maksudnya, kalau kami tak diberi insentif mereka (produsen mobil besar) juga jangan," tegas Dewa saat dijumpai di JIExpo, Kemayoran, Jakarta Pusat, Rabu (23/3/2011).

Terkait rencana penerbitan regulasi low cost & green car, Dewa bersama anggota AsiaNusa mengaku siap protes keras kepada pemerintah jika tak berlaku adil. Saat ini AsiaNusa terdiri dari beberapa produsen mobil nasional antara lain, Tawon, Wakaba, Fin (Komodo), Arina, Gea, dan ITM. "Kalau mereka bisa dapat insentif, kami tidak, ini tidak adil. Kalau mau fair, kita adu saja di pasar, kami berani bersaing kalau sama-sama tak dapat insentif," beber Dewa.

Menganggapi hal ini, Budi Darmadi, Direktur Jenderal Industri Unggulan Berbasis Teknologi Tinggi Kementerian Perindustrian mengatakan, pemerintah dalam mengeluarkan kebijakan tak pernah memihak ke satu pihak dan sifatnya pasti umum. Pada regulasi low cost & green car yang tengah digodok, semua pihak bisa memanfaatkannya asal mengikuti aturan mainnya.

"Setiap peraturan yang dikeluarkan pemerintah itu sifatnya global dan setiap produsen otomotif itu punya segmen yang dituju," jelas Budi.

China Produksi Mobil Murah Seharga 13 Juta Rupiah

Pabrikan mobil asal China, Geely siap membuat mobil murah sejagat dan menyebar ancaman untuk pesaingnya. Mobil anyar mereka Intelligent Geely (IG) yang sebelumnya tampil di ajang otomotif bergengsi Beijing Auto Show siap diproduksi pada 2012 dan dipasarkan 2013 mendatang.

Mobil ini begitu memikat, apalagi target harga mobil ini juga sangat murah yakni hanya sebesar 10.000 RMB atau sekitar Rp 13 jutaan saja. Bila dilihat dari harganya, IG hampir sama dengan harga sebuah motor di Indonesia.



Dan ternyata PT Geely Mobil Indonesia (GMI) pun tidak menutup kemungkinan akan mendatangkan mobil ini ke Indonesia.



"IG siap dipasarkan 2013 nanti dengan harga 10.000 yuan. Bisa saja kita masukan juga kesini," ujar Presiden Direktur PT Geely Mobil Indonesia (GMI) A Budi Pramono kepada detikOto.



Bila niatan GMI ini benar terlaksana, IG tentu menjadi pilihan menarik bagi mereka yang ingin beralih dari motor ke mobil. Sebab selain harganya tidak jauh beda dengan motor, mobil ini pun akan mematahkan predikat mobil termurah sejagat yang selama ini dipegang oleh Tata Nano yang saat ini sudah naik harga menjadi antara US$ 2.800-3.800 (Rp 26-35,2 juta).

Pemerintah Janjikan Mobil Murah Rp 50 Juta untuk Nelayan

Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan Fadel Muhammad berjanji akan menyediakan rumah murah bagi para nelayan di 100 lokasi di berbagai daerah di Indonesia. Bahkan Fadel juga menyediakan transportasi berupa mobil khusus buatan Indonesia asli dengan harga murah.

"Jadi sesuai instruksi presiden kita mempunyai beberapa program klaster terkait kesejahteraan nelayan," ujar Fadel ketika ditemui di Kantornya Jalan Medan Merdeka Timur, Jakarta, Senin (21/3/2011).

Fadel memaparkan, program kesejahteraan bagi nelayan yakni dengan memperbaiki rumah nelayan miskin dan menyediakan rumah murah.

"Kita kelompokkan tahun ini di 100 lokasi, ini bekerjasama dengan Kemenpera dan akan kita perbaiki serta sediakan perumahan bagi mereka nelayan miskin," tambahnya.

Tidak hanya itu, Fadel mengungkapkan pihaknya juga menyediakan transportasi, yaitu kendaraan untuk mengangkut hasil tangkapan. Kendaraan berupa mobil ini bekerjasama dengan PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA).

"Harganya berkisar Rp 50 juta," tuturnya.

Lebih jauh Fadel mengatakan, pihaknya juga memberikan bimbingan dan pelayanan bagi nelayan yang akan mengembangkan usaha baru seperti rumput laut dan ikan kerapu.

"Serta, tahun ini kita juga berikan banyak beasiswa ke anak-anak nelayan yang dalam waktu dekat akan diberikan secara simbolis oleh presiden," tukasnya.

Kreatif: Mobil Tua Ahmadinejad Laku Rp 22 Miliar Untuk Perumahan Orang Miskin

Mobil tua milik Presiden Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad laku US$ 2,5 juta atau setara dengan Rp 22 miliar dalam sebuah lelang. Rencananya, hasil lelang mobil Peugeot seri 504 keluaran tahun 1977 itu akan disumbangkan untuk proyek perumahan.

Identitas pembeli tidak diketahui, hanya saja menurut pengacaranya Mamoud Asari, ia berniat membangun sebuah museum dan memamerkan mobil itu.

Mobil itu merupakan kendaraan yang digunakan Ahmadinejad semasa ia masih menjadi walikota di Teheran. Semenjak terpilih menjadi presiden pada 2005, mobil itu jarang digunakan lagi.

Diperkirakan harga di pasaran lokal, mobil berwarna putih itu hanya Rp 17,1 juta saja.

Ahmadinejad sudah mengumumkan rencana pelelangan mobilnya sejak November tahun lalu. "Untuk membantu perumahan Mehr, sebagai sumbangan," katanya saat itu seperti yang dikutip harian The Telegraph.

Ahmadinejad merupakan presiden yang ingin dicitrakan sebagai teman bagi orang miskin. Usai pemilihan umum dua tahun lalu, ia berjanji akan membangun perumahan, reformasi tenaga kerja dan ekonomi sebagai prioritas setelah harga perumahan melambung pada periode pertamanya.

Saudi, Isuzu plan $133m car factory

Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with Japan's Isuzu Motors to set up a car and truck manufacturing factory, costing around 500 million riyals ($133 million), state news agency SPA said.

Production will begin in the fourth quarter of 2012 with initial output of 600 trucks, the project manager was quoted as saying in the statement. The plant will be located in Dammam.

"Expansion in the project will raise production to 25,000 trucks annually by 2017. The company will work to export 40 percent of production to international markets," Qusay Al-Abdul Kareem said.

Saudi Arabia imports around 600,000 cars annually, SPA said.

Top Opec producer Saudi Arabia, the largest Arab economy, is heavily dependent on oil and is trying to diversify its revenue to other sources.

In December, King Saud University in Riyadh signed a memorandum of understanding with a South Korean car manufacturing firm to set up a new company with a capital of about $500 million.

A prototype of an economy model car designed for local use will be ready within two years and may later be exported to Gulf and North African countries, the university's president said at the time.

Bahrain students design black box for cars

A Black box for cars - containing basic information about its motion, function and features - similar to those found in airplanes, has been invented by two Bahraini students.

Bahrain University College of Infor-mation Tech-nology students Fatima Al Ansari and Latifa Jamal came up with the device aimed at providing vital information to crash investigators.

However, the equipment also has a built-in GPS system. 'We depended on our practical experience and created a special programme to design the device, which is a first in the country,' said Jamal.

'Over time, we plan to perfect it and add more features,' she added.-

Qatar to create millions job to its citizens by setting up car plant in the country

A newly launched automotive investment firm in Qatar has announced plans to set up an automotive cluster in the Gulf state by 2020, the Peninsula has reported.

The new company, Qatar Automotive Gateway (Qatar Ag), expects its automotive cluster has chosen a number of automotive sub-segments to develop including the design and manufacture of Lithium Ion batteries and components and automotive aluminium components - die castings, forgings, and extrusions.

Qatar Automotive Gateway (Qatar Ag), a newly launched automotive investment company, targets the establishment of an automotive cluster in Qatar by 2020, officials said during the company’s launch yesterday.

“Qatar Ag’s objective is to establish a fully operational automotive cluster by 2020, while leveraging Qatar’s resources and financial and operational synergies across Qatar projects,” said Ghanim bin Saad Al Saad, Chairman, Qatar Ag.

The automotive cluster is expected to generate thousands of technical and management jobs in Qatar, thus supporting the knowledge based economic vision of Qatar which will deliver high returns for future generations, according to Ahmed M Sorour, Chief Executive Office, Qatar Ag.

Al Saad said Qatar is an ideal and competitive location for the industry with its fast growing infrastructure, low energy costs, financial investments and attractive business environment and that Qatar Ag has started executing its strategy having already chosen a number of automotive sub-segments to develop.

“One of the opportunity areas is in the design and manufacture of Lithium Ion batteries and components. As the demand for electric and hybrid vehicles ramps up, and xEVs become a standard product offering, it is expected to create a new value chain worth approximately $250bn by 2020, of which more than $65bn will be for Lithium Ion batteries and components, grow from today’s demand at a dramatic 65 percent growth rate,” explained Sorour.

Another area is automotive Aluminium components – die castings, forgings, and extrusions –where the global market is expected to grow significantly from $38bn in 2010 to $73bn by 2020.

Due to the increasing use of Aluminium components experts see a significant shortage of global capacity by 2016, creating an opportunity for Qatar Ag to produce hi-quality automotive aluminium components while leveraging Qatalum’s significant aluminium capacity and capabilities.

“We took the initiative to start Qatar Ag after two years of research and analysis, during which we sought inputs from executives from the global auto industry, industrial companies in Qatar, and global financial, industry, and technical experts. We confirmed that the auto industry offers multiple industrial investment opportunities, including the manufacture of components in Qatar,” said Al Saad.

The vast opportunities in the automotive industry is being driven by its dramatic shift and restructuring globally such as on the technical side where hybrid and electric vehicles are now being adopted for their fuel efficiency and environment friendliness opening up a huge market for vehicle components such as Lithium-Ion batteries.

Iran to create million jobs to its citizens by mass production of powertrains locally

Iran Khodro Company (IKCO) has taken a step closer to total self-sufficiency in its vehicle production after acquiring the technology to produce its own powertrains. The company has acquired cylinder block and cylinder head machining equipment, which will enable it to produce powertrains for 680,000 vehicles by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21 2010). In the next full year, IKCO aims to supply 800,000 powertrains.

The new equipment will also enable IKCO to diversify its powertrains. According to IKCO's Powertrains deputy CEO, Ali Sheikhzadeh, the carmaker is now in a position to move into supplying diesel engines for passenger cars, which will enter mass production in 2011. He added that the new equipment will 'put an end to Iran's dependency on foreign companies'.

IKCO has a partnership with French company PSA Peugeot Citroën , through which it assembles vehicles under licence. It also based its Saman 'national car' on the Peugeot 405 platform. However, as the threat of further international sanctions against Iran loom, the carmaker is seeking to reduce its dependence on other companies, particularly from overseas, for vital parts and components.

GEC: First UAE made car in production

For the first time a 150-horsepower, double cabin pick-up, produced in the UAE, has been launched in the market by Gulf Automobile Industry Corp priced between Dh36, 000 and Dh60, 000, reported Gulf News. The automobile has about 40 per cent local component, sourced from GCC and Arab countries and is being manufactured in a factory in Abu Dhabi.

Mobil Balap Listrik dan Modifikator Nasional

Mobil Aballs menjadi pemenang dalam kontes modifikasi, Autoblackthrough 2010. Dapur pacu mobil ini dikembangkan oleh LIPI, sementara seluruh tubuh Aballs dibuat secara custom oleh rumah modifikasi Signal.

Iran unveils mass production lines of tactical vehicle, mortar system

Iran unveiled mass production lines of 3.4 tone tactical vehicle dubbed "Kaviran" and 120mm mortar system of "Razm" as the country is marking the 4th day of its Holy Defense Week on Saturday.

"Kaviran can be used in uneven paths and it increases operational power of armed forces in ground battles," Iranian Defense Minister, Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said in the unveiling ceremony of the defense projects.







The vehicle can pass across river with 70 centimeter depth and is able to work as troop carrier, ambulance, 107mm rocket-launcher and 120mm mortar carrier, he added.

Vahidi continued, "120mm mortar which is of long-range class has already been produced with the range of 6200 meter, but the range is increased to 16 kilometers (the range is doubled) with efforts of Iranian Defense Ministry experts."

The system is very powerful and agile and can be placed on Kaviran tactical vehicle, he noted.

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.