CAIRO — The Egyptian dream of manufacturing the primary native electrical automotive didn’t go easily. It truly hit a bump, as Egypt introduced the suspension of negotiations with its Chinese language accomplice, Dongfeng Motor Company, to provide the primary Egyptian electrical automotive.
The Egyptian Ministry of Public Works announced in a statement on Nov. 11, 2021, that “negotiations with Dongfeng to provide the E70 electrical automotive, in cooperation with Al Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Firm, affiliated with the Ministry, have stopped.”
The ministry mentioned the rationale behind the halted negotiations was “the lack to achieve an settlement with Dongfeng to sufficiently scale back costs of the imported elements which are wanted to fabricate the automotive and allow Al Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Firm to fabricate automobiles and provide a aggressive and enticing worth for customers.”
The ministry confirmed that “new channels of communication have been opened with one of many specialised international consulting workplaces to establish another accomplice, and optimistic outcomes are anticipated to be reached earlier than the top of November.”
The Egyptian journey to produce the first electric car started in Yulbio in 2019 when a delegation from Dongfeng visited Cairo and met with Minister of Commerce and Business Amr Nassar, who introduced that “the corporate is critically contemplating the manufacture of electrical automobiles in Egypt with the goal of utilizing them for transportation functions within the public sector and taxis.”
In December 2019, Egyptian Minister of Public Enterprise Sector Hisham Tawfik confirmed after assembly with the delegation of Dongfeng that “it was agreed to provide a Chinese language automotive underneath Al Nasr Automotive Firm, which [halted operations in] 2009. The manufacturing capability of the corporate inside years will attain about 25,000 electrical automobiles.”
The Egyptian Ministry of Public Enterprise Sector took govt steps. Tawfik introduced in June 2021 “the beginning of a trial manufacturing with the primary Egyptian electrical automotive beginning in July or August 2022,” noting that “this manufacturing will likely be experimental with 100 automobiles till manufacturing begins with an precise capability of 25,000 electrical automobiles per 12 months.”
In August 2021, Al Nasr introduced the import of 13 electrical automobiles of the mannequin produced by Dongfeng to be examined in Egypt earlier than Al Nasr would start its manufacture. Al Nasr and Uber made an settlement, and automobiles had been delivered to drivers nominated by Uber after being skilled by a staff from Dongfeng on the use and charging of electrical automobiles. The automotive was examined based on particular standards at a driving distance of as much as 30,000 kilometers per automotive over a interval of three to 4 months.
On Nov. 1, Tawfik revealed that changes in the agreement to fabricate electrical automobiles with Dongfeng contributed to disrupting implementation.
He mentioned, “Among the many obstructive elements was the change in administration of the Chinese language firm and the continued negotiations relating to the pricing of the elements that make up the electrical automotive.”
Tawfik added in press statements that “the ministry acquired a report from Uber drivers concerning the expertise of the automotive to be manufactured within the Egyptian market, and it was despatched to the Chinese language firm. However the latter has not responded but.”
He mentioned the report “contained some technical and industrial notes. Nevertheless, negotiations with the Chinese partner took longer than anticipated and deliberate. The true downside is the dearth of flexibility.”
After the Egyptian Ministry of Public Enterprise Sector introduced the failure of negotiations, the pro-Egyptian media attacked Tawfik.
Ahmed Moussa, a media determine near the regime, mentioned, “Three years in the past, the federal government engaged in negotiations to fabricate an electrical automotive. After figuring out the worth of the automotive, charging spots, specs, lessons and automotive security, the Ministry of Public Enterprise Sector instantly stopped negotiations with the Chinese language firm.”
On Nov. 17, on the TV present “Ala Mas’ouliyati,” Moussa mentioned, “Why did the ministry sort out the manufacture of an electrical automotive to start with with out learning the thought. It might have been higher to announce this after the completion of the procedures and negotiations.”
On Nov. 15, Tawfik confirmed that “the undertaking to provide an area electrical automotive was underway, because the ministry acquired proposals for the names of 5 electrical automobiles in preparation for choosing one in all them to be manufactured by Al Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Firm.”
Tawfik explained in a statement that “an settlement was signed with the Egyptian Vivid Skies Firm, which focuses on growing working and management methods for electrical automobiles, to provide the primary Egyptian battery for automobiles, which supplies nice hope for the localization and improvement of the automotive trade in Egypt.”
For his half, the professional and former govt director of the Affiliation of Vehicle Producers, Maj. Gen. Hussein Mustafa, confirmed that “the state insists on implementing a undertaking to fabricate an area electrical automotive, no matter obstacles.”
In his statements to Al-Monitor, Mustafa mentioned, “The Ministry of Public Enterprise Sector hastened to announce the small print of the undertaking, even supposing negotiations with the Chinese language Dongfeng Company haven’t been accomplished and have been stalling for a very long time.”
He added, “Cairo realizes that the long run is for electrical automobiles in gentle of the local weather change disaster. Due to this fact, it insists on producing them regionally. However the undertaking could face future crises, and its implementation could also be delayed because of the international worth disaster, which affected the automotive sector.”
“The state must spread the culture of shopping for electrical automobiles and improve charging facilities for these automobiles in addition to upkeep service facilities, that are necessary for the success of the Egyptian undertaking to provide native electrical automobiles,” Mustafa mentioned.
