By Staff Reporter
Kwekwe based Hende Moto a local vehicle manufacturer, has secured a partnership with an American-based Max Sound Corp, a partnership that will see the two companies providing high-definition audio technology on all the company’s vehicles.
The proprietary audio software called MAX-D, which provides high-definition sound, is owned by the American firm.
Through their partnership with Max Sound Corp, it is hoped that the deal would also see Hende Moto securing investors for the local hybrid vehicles plant.
“We have the worldwide rights for high-definition audio, an audio where somebody when driving will have good music sound and our technology provides that to every vehicle they are going to be producing,” Max Sound Corp chief executive officer Greg Halpern said from California.
“Every audio they are going to have available will be utilising our technology.”
“We are bringing them partners that can help fund the development of the vehicles and that could be an amazing economy of scale for Zimbabwe.”
Halpern said the investment on their partnership technology was initially worth US$1 million over a few years but could be an upward of US$10 million.
“It’s dependent on how much acceptance and how much economies of scale it’s developed,” he said.
“We certainly want to participate at the African Continental Free Trade Area so that we tap into that market through Zimbabwe being a production hub for hybrid vehicles.”
“This is valuable to Zimbabwe and with the right support, that could be tremendous to the world.”
Hende Moto owner United States based Dr Devine Mafa has said that plans were underway to set up a hybrid car manufacturing and assembly plant in Kwekwe.
“As Hende Moto, we are moving towards the production of electric vehicles so that Zimbabwe and Africa at large are not left behind in terms of offering technology and this also precludes the dumping of cheap imported goods like vehicles by the developed world to Africa,” Mafa said.
“The world is moving towards the elimination of fuel-powered vehicles by 2035 and as Africa we should not lag behind and be used as a dumping ground because such vehicles pollute the environment and destroy the ozone layer,” he said.
Hybrid cars use both conventional fuel (petrol/diesel) and electric power and the vehicles are known to be environmentally friendly and cost efficient as they reduce fuel costs and limit toxic gases.
