This was one of the ideas the Tshwane University of Technology’s Institute for Advanced Tooling (IAT) discussed with Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom.
Solar-powered donkey carts could provide reliable transport to school for pupils and teachers in rural areas, Hanekom said after the event.
“Although more research will have to be done, we should not delay too long in testing the concept to determine whether it is feasible in real life.”
He said donkey carts were a reality in this country, and a major form of transport in some rural areas.
Donkeys were practical, because there were some terrains that could not be reached by car but could be reached by animals, Hanekom said.
A solar-powered donkey cart would be like any other donkey cart. The only difference is that it would be powered by solar energy. Load sensors would be installed to ensure that the donkey only steers the cart and carries none of the load.
“We are just adding a little bit of technology to an ordinary donkey cart,” said Bob Bond, centre manager for IAT, adding that the donkey would only be there to guide the cart through rough terrain.
IAT hopes to partner with the Department of Science and Technology and get this project running as soon as possible.
Hanekom said his department was trying to move away from fossil-based fuels, but the challenge was to make clean energy fashionable and cost-effective.
“We want to be a department which seeks to provide cleaner technological solutions to solve our country’s problems and improve the livelihoods of its citizens, especially at grassroots level. We have to make people want to be environmentally conscious,” he said.
Domestic auto parts manufacturers complain that development of parts through Japanese manufacturers involves very high upfront technology and franchise cost. “The vending industry orders even after increase in imported used car age limit from three to five years are still at previous level,” said Usman Malik, vice chairman of Pakistan Association of Auto Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (Paapam). He said auto part vending industry’s capacities are much higher than the demand of the local car manufacturers.
He said many vending units have closed down, while some of Paapam members diversified their business to make products from the same idle machines that were producing auto parts for the industry. He said some of the auto parts manufacturers are in to packaging field and their revenue from this business has outgrown that they generate from making of auto parts.
He said some vendors have launched their own three wheelers to remain attached with the auto industry. A few have launched motorcycle brands with foreign technology making state of the art motorcycles in above 100 cc segment. All these vendors, he added, were originally auto parts vendors for the original equipment manufacturers.
Another auto vendor Syed Mansoor Abbass said that the local auto vendors are disgruntled that no new car players are entering the local market. He said these vendors facilitated every new entrant that targeted Pakistani market in recent past by absorbing the upfront price of tooling of the auto parts and recovering the cost gradually though supply of auto parts. They provided this facility with the hope that new brands would enhance competition.
He regretted, however, that this hope did not come to fruition as Kia, Hyundai, Nissan and Adams (a Pakistan brand) failed to penetrate into Pakistani market for various reasons. He said the vendors suffered massive losses on tooling of their parts. He said the same practice is in vogue for the top three Japanese car manufacturers for any new part that they want to localise.
The tooling expense is incorporated in new auto part and withdrawn when the cost is recovered. He said the local vendors after bad experience refused tooling any part for a new manufacturer that completely stopped the induction of new brands in the country.
He said it was after this that the domestic stakeholders in auto sector recommended the Engineering Development Board to allow new entrants at zero deletion with the condition that they would reach the local deletion level in three years. It was made mandatory for the new entrant to provide a viable deletion program to the satisfaction of local vendors.
He said Chinese auto manufacturers have taken advantage of this offer and their three year deletion program is acceptable to the vendors. He said a leading Chinese manufacturer has already launched it truck, loader and van in the market. The acceptability of the vehicles, he added, is encouraging and the prices are very competitive. He hoped that such entrants would enlarge the car market in the country and the prices would decline appreciably.
The chief executive officer of the Chinese auto brand FAW said initially the response of the consumers was highly encouraging. “We are committed to bring the deletion level to the national level in three years,” he said adding that the localisation level in 6-8 seat Euro IV compliant van has already reached 20 percent. He said the 1000 cc van is priced at Rs799,000, which is 1/3rd the price of a similar Japanese van in the country. He said the assembly plant in Karachi is operating in full gear rolling out trucks, buses and vans at most competitive rates.
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