• The launch of the “Cargo” will take place in May.

• The lithium-ion batteries of both vehicles have a lifespan of 20 years.

• Approximately 60% of the car will be made locally.

The Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport (AASTMT) said on Tuesday that “Cargo,” the first electric vehicle (EV) ever created for goods transportation in Egypt, is scheduled to be released as a tricycle substitute within a month.

According to a statement made on Tuesday to the Middle East News Agency by Mohamed El-Ghamry, the Dean of the Applied Research Department of AASTMT, the initiative would produce two different types of EVs to help the local EV business. Within five to six months, El-Ghamry stated, the final version of the second type of EV, a “passenger car” with room for five passengers, will be prepared for market introduction. 

According to El-Ghamry, both vehicles’ lithium-ion batteries have a 20-year lifespan, comparable to more recent models like Tesla. Additionally, the cars include solar panels and are energy-efficient, with operating expenses that are less than 30% of what cars that run on gasoline would cost. Additionally, the automobiles have a low starting price of EGP 95,000 ($3,074.15). More than 60% of the car parts will be made locally, according to El-Ghamry, while the vehicle bodies would only be produced in Egypt.  

El-Ghamry stated that within 24 months of production starting, a research initiative supported by AASTMT intends to raise the proportion of locally created components to 90%. A building measuring 50,000 square meters is being built at 10 Ramadan City to manufacture these electric vehicles. 

The Egyptian government unveiled a nationwide policy in June 2022 to advance the nation’s automotive industry, including the EV manufacturing sector. Also, a new government-drafted bill intended to create a supreme council for vehicle manufacture and a fund to finance an environmentally friendly EV industry in Egypt was adopted by the Egyptian Senate in October 2022.