Al Yousuf UAE buys Phoenix electric car firm
Dubai’s Al Yousuf business group, which among its assets can count the Daihatsu dealer franchise in the UAE, has apparently bought out the US-based Phoenix Motorcars firm, in which it was a silent shareholder previously. Phoenix is a builder of niche electric vehicles and went bankrupt recently. Al Yousuf says this could mark the entry of electric vehicles in the UAE and GCC region.
However, according to Gulf News, Phoenix has only reached the prototype stage so far, with their first product being a pricey US$ 75,000 (Dhs 275,000) Phoenix SUT electric truck that uses the platform and body of the existing Korean-sourced SsangYong Actyon Sports pickup, of all things. Available in 2WD and 4WD variants, it actually gives the upcoming pickup truck a unique look, considering the rarity of actual SsangYong petrol-engined vehicles in the region.
Al Yousuf says the 35,000-watt electric motor, with a 450 kg battery, gives the 2639 kg Phoenix SUT a range of only 160 km at most, but at a cost of only Dhs 11 for a single electric charge. The motor offers an equivalent of 160 hp and 497 Nm of torque, good for an electronically-limited top speed of 128 kph, while range is officially being touted at 112 km “plus” only.
The SUT could be recharged at home in five hours with a 220V socket, or 1 hour with an “external” charger, or in just 10 minutes at a dedicated recharging station, if one were available. The battery supposedly has a shelf-life of 10 years.
Even the makers aren’t sure of how widespread the use of the Phoenix SUT will be, as they plan to target facilities such as airports, college campuses and military bases as customers.
Comments
ROJ
Hmmm.. Actually sounds like an interesting deal that just happened here.. For the public sector & fleet sales, would serve well…
Kevin
It looks like crap. It has a really pathetic speed limit and there are no dedicatetd stations for recharching your car. This car is not meant for this country. No thank you, I’ll have a Tesla instead once they fix all their bugs.
Aslam K.
Mash… you should test drive one electric car, once they bring them to here… the volt maybe, or even the above subject car…
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
I have some pull with GM now, so if the Volt launches here, I’ll likely get an early test drive, though anything can happen by 2012.
ahmed taher rifai
i think this deal is going to beat the rising oil prises sooner or later
IMUSTBETHEONLYIDIOT
You are all missing the big picture- First the punk asses in the U.S. sell out to the OIL BARONs in Saudia Arabia- and now I am expected to believe a Saudi will continue to make an electric vehicle?
A CAR THAT DOESN’T USE PETROLEUM? TO SELL TO AREAS IN THE MID EAST LIKE DUBAI WHERE GAS IS $.10 TO $.25 A LITER??????
THE NAME OF THE GAME IS TO REMOVE ANY AND ALL THREATS TO THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.