Iran claims World's Most Powerful Natural Gas Car
WIRED/Autopia
20-Feb-2009 (5 comments)

The Middle East's largest automaker has unveiled a four-door sedan, claiming its engine is the world's most powerful run by natural gas. It's a significant development in a country that has converted more than 250,000 cars to run on the stuff.

The company, Iran Khodro, says the turbocharged engine in the Samand Soren ELX produces 150 horsepower, 37 more than the CNG-powered Honda Civic GX and just four short of the gasoline-burning four-cylinder Toyota Camry.

Iran Khodro unveiled the car Saturday in Tehran, and the Tehran Times says it was developed "under the intellectual property of the Islamic Republic of Iran," which explains why there was a picture of the Ayatollah looking over the car.

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Monda

Important Step

by Monda on

This is a very positive solution to the severe pollution problem in the large cities of Iran. I wonder if anyone knows the scale of this productive plan?



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gol-dust

Great news! Finally they are doing something for people!

by gol-dust on

3 years ago i visted tehran. For 4 nites, i had a very hard time to sleep. On fifth nite we started our trip to the persian gulf. When I stayed in Yazd, I slept 13 hours! I became "born again" Eureka! I slept well fpr the rest of my trip! That's when it clicked that polution was the reason! I can hardly wait to go back ito a clean air tehran!


Niloufar Parsi

great article

by Niloufar Parsi on

thanks for posting. and it backs up irans claims on the reasons for not investing in major new refineries, as they are converting to gas.

Peace!


default

Why can't Iran build its own commercial airplanes?

by I wonder (not verified) on

With all this scientific advancement and know-how and all these great strides in scienc and technology by mullahs' regime, one wonders why they do not build their own commercial airplanes and have to buy junk crappy planes from Russia and elsewhere?!!!

These crappy airplanes either catch fire on the runways or their engine malfunctiosn and they drop from sky cauing many inncoent people to get killed.

Why do they need to still use the old commercial planes bought by the Shah's regime in 70s and beg for parts from the U.S. to refurbish them?


Monda

The report

by Monda on

Iran Claims It Has Made World's Most Powerful Natural Gas Car By Chuck Squatriglia February 11, 2009 | 5:53:12 PMCategories: Alt Fuel  

The Middle East's largest automaker has unveiled a four-door sedan, claiming its engine is the world's most powerful run by natural gas. It's a significant development in a country that has converted more than 250,000 cars to run on the stuff.

The company, Iran Khodro, says the turbocharged engine in the Samand Soren ELX produces 150 horsepower, 37 more than the CNG-powered Honda Civic GX and just four short of the gasoline-burning four-cylinder Toyota Camry.

Iran Khodro unveiled the car Saturday in Tehran, and the Tehran Times says it was developed "under the intellectual property of the Islamic Republic of Iran," which explains why there was a picture of the Ayatollah looking over the car.

Company CEO Manouchehr Manteqi says the car meets Euro IV emissions standards and adds, "its nominal power will not decline even at the height of 2,000 meters above sea level." That's 6,561 feet for the metrically challenged, and it's significant because Tehran, like Denver, is located about 5,000 feet above sea level.

Manteqi didn't offer any other details on the car, but the Samand LX uses a 1.7-liter four-cylinder that produces 100 horsepower. It does 0 to 62 mph in 11.9 seconds and tops out at 115 mph.

Iran Khodro is partially owned by the government, and it has a joint venture with Peugeot Renault to build the Logan econobox (sold in Iran as the Tondar 90) and with Peugeot to produce the 206 compact and 405 sedan. Although the global auto industry is slumping, Iran Khodro plans to ramp up production and ease its dependence on foreign suppliers, according to Reuters.

Tehran, a city of 12 million people, has long been plagued by pollution. That's changed in recent years as the city has adopted natural gas buses, forced taxis to convert to CNG and taken decrepit old cars off the road. More than 250,000 cars have been converted to natural gas since 2004, according to the Los Angeles Times.