The Jordanian government selects Matra Light Electric Vehicles

Matra has just signed a letter of intent with the Jordanian government concerning the deployment of its range of electric bicycles, scooters and quads in Jordan, together with a 100% solar electric charging system.

A consortium comprising the French companies, Matra and DBT, and the American company, AllCell Technologies, was chosen to install specifically adapted short-distance electric vehicles (bicycles, scooters and lightweight GEM cars) for operation on pilot sites in urban and tourist areas.

These vehicles will complement the Nissan cars already ordered by the Jordanian government for use over longer distances.

Matra will work with the Ministry of the Environment to:

• Define pilot sites slated to be operational as early as 2011,
• Set up the financing arrangements required to deploy the photovoltaic charging stations,
• Supply electric vehicles first to Jordan, and then to other Gulf countries,
• Set up networks of related services.

Matra has developed high-performance batteries and solar charging stations for its vehicles in cooperation with AllCell Technologies. The signing of this agreement marks Matra’s first successful bid against its competitors outside of Europe and demonstrates the soundness of Matra’s strategy for light vehicles, which are particularly well suited to electric power and nearly three times more economical than “traditional” electric cars, penalized by prohibitive battery costs.

The protocol of agreement, effective for a period of three years, will first involve equipping public-sector authorities, such as the municipality of Amman (Jordan’s capital), and certain tourist sites.

This is the first time that an Arab country has undertaken a project of this scale aimed at promoting clean and sustainable mobility. The Jordanian Environment Minister, Hazem Malhas, announced several months ago that the government intended to acquire electric vehicles beginning in early 2011. He also stressed that these imported electric vehicles would be exempt from customs duties and that the government would set up incentives to boost their distribution.

The deal was a direct consequence of Matra’s participation in the Paris Motor Show, during which the manufacturer presented its fully-electric range of two and four-wheeled vehicles, along with a new MSR solar roof available for its electric cars, as well as a charging terminal using the Matra Solar FLOW-R energy storage system.

Matra will work with the Ministry of the Environment to:

• Define pilot sites slated to be operational as early as 2011,
• Set up the financing arrangements required to deploy the photovoltaic charging stations,
• Supply electric vehicles first to Jordan, and then to other Gulf countries,
• Set up networks of related services.

Matra has developed high-performance batteries and solar charging stations for its vehicles in cooperation with AllCell Technologies. The signing of this agreement marks Matra’s first successful bid against its competitors outside of Europe and demonstrates the soundness of Matra’s strategy for light vehicles, which are particularly well suited to electric power and nearly three times more economical than “traditional” electric cars, penalized by prohibitive battery costs.

The protocol of agreement, effective for a period of three years, will first involve equipping public-sector authorities, such as the municipality of Amman (Jordan’s capital), and certain tourist sites.

This is the first time that an Arab country has undertaken a project of this scale aimed at promoting clean and sustainable mobility. The Jordanian Environment Minister, Hazem Malhas, announced several months ago that the government intended to acquire electric vehicles beginning in early 2011. He also stressed that these imported electric vehicles would be exempt from customs duties and that the government would set up incentives to boost their distribution.

The deal was a direct consequence of Matra’s participation in the Paris Motor Show, during which the manufacturer presented its fully-electric range of two and four-wheeled vehicles, along with a new MSR solar roof available for its electric cars, as well as a charging terminal using the Matra Solar FLOW-R energy storage system.