Isfahan, Iran, February 22
By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend:
Lacking a robust, indigenous car industry, Iran has been facing many challenges with its transportation fleet. The country is grappling with high energy intensity and air pollution as the results of mismanagement as well as international sanctions.
However, the government has been recently expressing notions of alarm and started to think of more efficient transportation facilities.
"Hybrid cars are a must and are going to be the norm and replace single-drive cars," Prof. Willibrordus H. Dijkmans, co-inventor of smart cars told Trend on the sidelines of a travel and hospitality conference in Isfahan February 20.
Dr. Dijkmans who has also been ex-managing director of MCC AG (Mercedes/Smart) and worked in other capacities for Fiat, Renault, and Chrysler Nederland, said he was in Iran to offer his knowledge and experience to Iran to renovate its transportation.
"Transportation, part of travel and hospitality. Nobody can, or will, go to a country where they will not have good health," he asserted.
"We are going to explore ways to develop good transportation. What we are talking about are plans for 30-40 years. But, If you don't start now, you never will."
He went on to add that electric transportation, car sharing, and combined transportation are the options which Iran should consider to tackle the environmental damages it is currently suffering due to its old-fashion transportation system.
The strongest possibility in the long run is cars running on hydrogen gas, he went on to point out.
On the sidelines of the conference, models of hybrid cars were also showcased which are likely to be used by the government especially to refurbish the public transportation.
Iran-Khodro car manufacturing company was among the first Iranian companies to sign a deal with foreigners after sanctions on Iran were removed. The company signed a deal with Peugeot during President Hassan Rouhani's recent trip to France. The deal confirms a 50-50 venture production of cars in Iran by Peugeot and Iran-Khodro.