TEHRAN – Iran’s major producer of heavy vehicles, Iran Khodro Diesel Co. (IKD Co.) is designing new chassis drives that are ideal for integration into its domestically-made buses.

Iran Khodro Diesel Co. along with some of the nation’s automotive manufacturers is designing a type of chassis drive to be installed on and integrated into the company’s newly designed bus dubbed “National Bus”. The wholly Iranian built passenger coach is expected to roll out of the factory within the next 18 months, Naseri said.

Iran Khodro Diesel, has also managed to produce compressed natural gas (CNG) powered Hyundai trucks and minibuses. The company has also turned the 0457 and 0355 diesel-fuelled engines into CNG-powered engines, the company official told the Persian service of ISNA news agency on Friday.

Upgrading the capabilities of the Iranian-made Sahand trucks to enable it meet the Euro II standards is among other major projects of Iran Khodro Diesel Company, he also announced.

IKD Co. is a public joint stock company to manufacture heavy, semi-heavy and light cargo transporters as well as passenger coaches for domestic use and export to the Middle East, CIS and African countries.