Page 49 - IRANRptMay20

Due to US sanctions, Iran has had to reverse engineer many parts for its automotive sector, many of which are not of the same quality as their imported counterparts, according to customers.
IKCO chief executive Farshad Moghimi said the manual six-speed transmission “would almost entirely rely on domestic industries in Iran once it reaches mass production in October”, adding that “output would reach 10,000 units in March 2021.”
The company hopes to develop its own automatic transmission by September 2020, after experiencing an increase in demand for the technology.
Four new vehicles designed by largest Iranian automaker Iran Khodro Company (IKCO) and main rival SAIPA (Société Anonyme Iranienne de Production des Automobiles Citroën) have been officially unveiled in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Toranji.ir reported.
Two of the vehicles had already been unofficially unveiled, namely the SAIPA Roham hatchback, which was revealed to the market in 2018, and the Dena Plus Turbo, released in January.
The first of the vehicles that are entirely new to the market is a large four-door saloon produced by IKCO, presented under the working title K132. It is a Peugeot “C-platform vehicle”. If it is moved into general production, it will and the largest car produced by an Iranian automaker.
The second is a SAIPA Roham crossover vehicle with better suspension than its predecessor, but similar in length. If it is released on the market it will become the first West Asia-produced crossover vehicle.
In a separate presentation, Iran Khodro Powertrain Company (IPCO) unveiled its first all-electric version of the Runna, dubbed the “RANA,” AzerTac reported. It comes with a 30-kilowatt-hour battery, making it able to run 220 kilometres non-stop before recharging. According to the company information, 50% of RANA's components are domestically manufactured.
It is currently unknown if the vehicle will be for sale on the market, but if it is then it is expected to cost three times the regular petrol version of the Runna, Mehr news agency added.
On February 7, MAPNA Group, the largest engineering firm in Iran, signed a memorandum with SAIPA to start the production of electric vehicles. As part of that deal, SAIPA and MAPNA will work to develop their own electric drivetrain and modify their vehicles.
Neither IKCO or SAIPA have said which battery producer they are working with internationally, but in 2016 IKCO signed an agreement with South Korea’s LG Chem. It is unknown if that deal still stands given the pressure brought to bear by US sanctions.
9.2.3​Aviation corporate news
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on April 30 called on countries to deny overflight rights to Mahan Air, Iran’s second biggest airline, under US sanctions. He said Mahan Air recently delivered cargoes of “unknown support” to the Venezuelan government.
Like Iran, Venezuela has been hit with tough sanctions by the US, with Washington attempting to force socialist President Nicolas Maduro from power.
Speaking at a State Department news conference, Pompeo, according to Reuters, said Mahan Air, Iran’s largest airline, delivered supplies to Maduro’s government. Last week, a Venezuelan official said Venezuela received
49​ IRAN Country Report May 2020 www.intellinews.com