BEIRUT- Lebanon’s car company EV Electra Ltd will launch the country’s first locally manufactured electric car on Feb. 21, a move that will open a wider market to environmentally friendly driving options, a manager of the company said in an interview with Xinhua.
“It is not a matter of choice to have or not to have electric vehicles in Lebanon. This will be the only available option starting 2030 when all manufacturers will shift their production to electric cars which are healthier for the environment and less costly than regular ones,” said Lamice Saade, Drivetrain Development Manager at EV Electra Ltd.
Founded by Jihad Mohammad, EV Electra is the first company in the Arab region to manufacture electric vehicles. It started working on cars production in 2017 and launched its first car Quds Capital in 2020, followed by Quds EE.
The first electric car to be launched on Feb. 21 is called Rise, a name inspired by last year’s devastating explosions of Beirut’s port that killed at least 200 and wounded about 6,000 others, as EV Electra hopes the Lebanese capital would rise from its aches.
Saade explained that Electra EV buys its battery cells from its sister companies in Europe but its Research & Development center in Beirut designs battery packs and engines.
Electra EV plans to start very soon manufacturing all its needs in the local market, she noted.