Minister of Higher Education attends the first Cairo electric car rally

Prof. Dr. Khalid Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, inaugurated the first rally of the Egyptian-made electric cars in the new administrative capital that was held under the patronage of His Excellency the Prime Minister, in cooperation, coordination and funding from the Academy of Scientific Research.

Prof. Dr. Khalid Abdul Ghaffar said that the selection of Ain Shams University to organize this event stems from being a pioneer in this field through the students of the Faculty of Engineering who have succeeded in winning first place in the world in the Formula Student UK competition, winning 82 international universities.

He pointed out that the value of the prizes is LE 2 million, as well as the allocation of 27 million pounds to support this project, which could change the market of the automobile industry inside Egypt and open the way for a large national industry through partnership with many state institutions, including the Academy of Scientific Research and various universities, Ministry of Military Production, the Arab Organization for Industrialization and many others.

He added that the launch of the rally from the heart of the new administrative capital confirms that Egypt is moving to build its future at all levels in the hands of its ambitious youth.

Prof. Dr. Abdul Wahab Ezzat, President of Ain Shams University, expressed his great confidence in Ain Shams University and the Innovation Center at the Faculty of Engineering. He pointed out that 315 students attend the competition from nine Egyptian universities, including 12 students from Ain Shams University.

He stressed that this competition, the first of its kind in Egypt, reflects the real steps that have been taken on the ground to link scientific research with the needs of society.

Prof. Dr. Nazmi Abdel Hamid, Vice President of Ain Shams University for Community Service and Environmental Development, Ain Shams University, said that the University is keen to support and nurture its students and to adopt their ideas and innovations in various fields in their belief in their abilities and aspirations.

Prof. Dr. Ayman Ashour, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said that the market studies confirm that there has been a noticeable change in the car market towards switching to electric cars, which necessitates the rehabilitation of students in engineering faculties to provide graduates capable of keeping pace with the development that will be witnessed in the automotive industry in Egypt, to pursue the global development in this area.

He stressed that a team was formed comprising a distinguished elite of professors, teachers and graduates of the Faculty of various disciplines to organize this rally under the umbrella of the Center for Innovation iHub.

During the past year, the qualifiers began with the acceptance of student teams from 26 Egyptian universities, who received an intensive two-week training course in the field of electric vehicle design, which resulted in the selection of 15 universities whose design proposals were presented to a committee of experts in the automotive industry in Egypt.

The competition ended with the selection of student teams from nine universities. Their innovations were incubated over the past six months at the University Innovation Center at the Faculty of Engineering through the workshops, laboratories and hundreds of hours of technical guidance and review sessions.

Prof. Dr. Maged Ghunaim, Director of the Innovation Center at the Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, pointed out that the final competition began 11 am with a review of the cars participating in the race. About the team and his ideas to spread the idea of electric cars, as well as the team's plan in the case of the production of commercial vehicles - and safety factors, he pointed out that the race consists of 4 parts: First: Less energy-intensive car, the second: Speed race for only 100 meters, the third is the Auto crossover, the fourth is the tolerance of 25 kilometers.

He pointed out that the competition is funded by the Academy of Scientific Research, and includes universities (Ain Shams - Kafr El Sheikh - Zagazig - Institute of tenth of Ramadan - Suez Canal - South Valley - Military Technical College- Helwan - Russian University).

Major General of War Staff Mohamed Abdel Latif, Director of the Administrative Capital Company, deans of the faculties of Ain Shams University, a number of faculty members and the trustees of the university, and the deans of engineering faculties in a number of Egyptian universities attended the events of the car rally.