CAIRO: In his workshop near Cairo’s pyramids, Ahmed Saeed Omar has manufactured a mini four-wheeled vehicle that he hopes will fill a gap in the market.
Omar’s “mini car”, a rectangular vehicle made of a solid steel body which seats up to six people, is cheaper than the widely-used imported auto rickshaw — not much more than a covered three-wheel scooter with a passenger bench — because it is almost entirely locally produced. Prices of imported products have soared since Egypt devalued its currency in November as part of measures to stimulate the economy.
A rickshaw can cost around 38,000 Egyptian pounds ($2,105)and has a 175 horse-power engine, while Omar’s mini car costs 34,000 pounds and has 300 horse-power engine.
“This is a better alternative to the (rickshaw), more cost-efficient and more spacious,” Omar, 35, said.
Three-wheeled rickshaws are widespread in many Egyptian cities, usually in neighbourhoods with narrow alleyways, and are mostly imported from India. — Reuters
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