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.

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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.

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.