Some questions
--Which country and company engine Iran use in
Khodro otomobiles?
--What is the export and domestic prices of upper models of these otos in terms of dollars?
--Iran copmanies can profit from oto production business? Because currently there are hard global rivalry conditions and many oto companies now desavantager.
That is why Turkey gave up from create his own an domestic oto brand. Besides, Turkish companies and authorities dont see a brilliant fate for otos work with internal combustion engine in the future. They see conventional engines will be replaced with electric engines in the future. So Turkey now is striving for create his own domestic otos that work with electric. If im not mistaken 2-3 years later %100 domestic produced electric cars will be drived in streets.
IKCO (Samand) is using three major Iranian engines of XU5, TU5, EF7 for its models of Pars, LX (different sub-models), Soren, Dena, Runna. Under license models like Suzuki Kizashi, Grand Vitara, all different models of Peugeot uses Japanese and French engines... Aside from Passenger cars, IKCO is producing %40 of all heavy, commercial vehicles and Trucks which brings them good amount of income. It is worth mentioning that at least half of IKCO production lines are Robotic now. Beside IKCO, there are many other car makers in Iran mostly in private sector. But the most serious IKCO rival in Iranian auto industry is SAIPA. Saipa, uses its own made (Tabriz made) engines on Tiba, Pride 111 (all models), New Tiba...but it also has some under license Japanese and Korean models under production, Renault Megan and Kia Cerato are the latest models...
Iranian Automakers has hit hard with tightened sanctions couple of years ago, resulting in some changes in their export plans. Currently, IKCO has export markets such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Iraq, Syria, Venezuela, China, Turkey, some African countries and Kazakhstan. IKCO has foreign production lines for some of its models, including, Syria, Belarus, Venezuela, Azerbaijan, China and recently Iraq. Last year, IKCO has only exported 30000 units directly and made another 50000 by its foreign sites, bringing around $200 millions of income for this company.
SAIPA only exports its cars to Iraq, Syria and some African countries. Their total exports were around 50000 to 60000 cars last year, resulting in around $100 millions income when after sales and spare parts are included.
At the moment, IKCO prefers to export some of its newest models instead of selling them inside Iran as their export price is higher.
Best model of IKCO is Dena that is prices around $12000 to 13000 locally and $14000 to 15000 for export. This model is a very solid car, comparable to Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic. The old models were not bad and not top but this new model is very worthy of the sum you pay for it.
Best SAIPA car is the NEW TIBA that is priced $ 6500 inside Iran and $7500 for export markets. This and other SAIPA cars are classified as CHEAP cars and this is why its models have a very good market in poorer countries.
Iranian car makers have an almost exclusive market inside Iran as Government has imposed a relatively high Tarrif on imported cars. Currently, all under 2500 cc cars need to pay %45 tax. Over 2500 CC has to pay more. Electric and Hybrid cars are exempt from Tax and Tarrifs. Iranian car makers have a vast market for their cars including over 1.5 million new cars for Iranian market and another 500000 to 1 million units for its targeted markets.
They were very profitable a few years back but since they impelled to invest more on R&D in order to make more competitive cars, they are no longer profitable and are on their feet by governmental subsidies. Another reason is because of SANCTIONS, car makers and thousands of car-part producers no longer has access to cheap Chinese contractors so almost all needed parts must be produced in Iran. This has imposed a huge sum on their back.
Electric cars, despite your understanding, are not the future. It is years now that world came to realize how impractical , electric cars are. We have limited resources for their batteries. It is very expensive. The electricity to charge cars has to be made by Coal, oil in most of its part, so it is not even economically friendly. This is exactly why major car makers do not focus on electric cars. Otherwise, the number of electric cars must have been the majority by now!!!
Future as it is known is to either focus on Natural Gas engines or to even more develop current Hybrid cars. It is widely believed that despite courageous steps of TESLA in america, this kind of cars have no chance of being popular due the world limitation in both Lithium or other Battery needed material, some countries has no will to cut oil companies and install SUN POWERED charging stations, some countries has no resources to implement all these changes, and some other reasons....
So, despite all your optimism, It is rather unrealistic to hope for such cars. There are a number of related examples that never succeeded in being popular despite their obvious advantages. Examples are, Tesla free energy, Gravity electricity generators and Water based fuels. The world that is under oil companies rule and most important leaders are connected to oil companies, it is very naive to bet on a future with electric cars in its streets!
