Lebanon’s first car is unveiled, and it’s an electric doozy

It is called the Electra Quds Rise EV.

With its design and technology, Lebanon’s first car makes a statement. The car’s unique design is hard to miss. It has ungainly proportions. The car looks a lot like a Porsche Cayman, but it is narrower than the Porsche. A prototype debuted last month.

Lebanon's first car is unveiled, and it's an electric doozy

Although the car’s sporty appearance is matched with solid performance numbers, the official website won’t be able to compete with most of its competitors. According to the car, it can travel 100 km/h (96 km/h) in just five seconds. The top speed is 165 km/h (102 mi/h). The car’s power comes from a 50-kilowatt lithiumion battery, which delivers 160 horsepower (119kilowatts), to the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission. The corners are adorned with 18-inch forged aluminum wheels that measure 19 inches in diameter.

The modern interior features a touchscreen infotainment screen that measures 15.9 inches. The interior is minimalistic with a simple dashboard and an elegant instrument cluster. There’s also a sporty steering wheel. Customers can choose from a variety of interior colors. The fiberglass body has big, bulbous fenders which give the car its unique character. It is supported by a lightweight aluminum chassis. It is said to have a range of 450 km (279 miles).

Lebanon's first car is unveiled, and it's an electric doozy

It is expected that the car will cost $30,000 when it goes to market. Production will begin later in the year and be available for purchase in showrooms by 2022. The company plans to produce 10,000 vehicles next year. Jihad Mohammad, a Lebanese national, founded the company four years back. It now has a staff of 300 employees. According to Al Jazeera, he has long-term goals for his company, including installing around 100 charging stations in the country’s power-strapped areas. However, they would be connected to generators.