IKCO to produce 3rd Iran-made engine next year

The Middle-East's largest automaker, Iran-Khodro Company (IKCO), announced on Wednesday that it plans to mass-produce a third national engine next year.The 1400cc EF4 engine that will be mass-produced and mounted on IKCO's Runna sedans next year will be the third Iran-made engine produced with 95 percent of domestically manufactured parts. "EF4 is a natural breathing engine with most parts in common with the 1700cc EF7 engine," IKCO Managing Director Javad Najmeddin said. Fuel efficiency is the most important specification of EF4 and it's the only Iranian engine that meets Euro V requirements. EF4 engine is designed and developed in two types, a gasoline powered and CNG-based engines. The gasoline-powered type is now under test and will be mounted on Runna and cars of the same class. Two laboratory prototypes of EF4 were manufactured two years ago and officials said then that it was the starting point for making EF4 engines which are going to be mounted on Runna while passing durability tests as well. Najmeddin believes that using an Iran-made engine on Runna would be a great success in development of national brands. The CEO referred to the capabilities of IKCO engine shop and part makers, and added, "All the required casting and machining of EF4 parts have been accomplished by Iranian industrialists and about 95 percent of the parts are built domestically." Based on the timetabled plans, IKCO aims to produce 25 thousand Runnas with EF4 engines the next year. The figure will rise to 100 thousand units per annum within three years.