Dubai government to buy new electric and hybrid cars

Dubai government entities will be buying electric and hybrid cars in the next few years to bolster their fleets under a new green mobility initiative.

Up to 10 per cent of the new vehicles purchased by government bodies with huge transportation fleets will be electric and hybrid cars, a statement said.

A new Dubai Green Mobility Initiative Committee has also been formed to help achieve set targets to reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases in Dubai within the next four years.

The initiative’s executive and technical committees comprise energy and environmental experts from the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (DEWA), Roads and Transport Authority, police, municipality, Dubai Airports, civil defence, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology.

“Dubai roads will witness major changes in coming years,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA.

“The market for hybrid and electric vehicles will attract more manufacturers and will encourage all citizens and residents to make use of environmentally-friendly vehicles.

“The new committees are working on new ideas to create government incentives to encourage people to buy electric cars instead of traditional petrol-powered vehicles. Giving special perks to electric-car owners could ensure that the emirate has cleaner air and transforms to a greener economy. This is a new boost,” he added.

DEWA has already added 13 electric vehicles to its fleet in 2015-2016.

It is also currently implementing a green charger initiative to establish electric vehicle charging stations across Dubai, with 100 charging stations having already been installed since 2015.

Read more: Electric vehicle chargers now at petrol stations in Dubai

“We will work to increase the percentage of hybrid cars in the emirate and contribute towards a 16 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2020,” said Al Tayer.

“Dubai is exerting all efforts to protect the environment, which involves the adoption of new technologies that have been designed to facilitate the use of electric cars on a daily basis, on crowded roads and streets in Dubai.

“Current fast electric chargers in the petrol stations, for example, can take up to 20 minutes compared to about six to eight hours for lower-output home chargers that plug into the vehicle from the home’s electric system,” he said.

Electric vehicle owners can now sign-up to obtain an EV green charger card to be used at charging points set up across Dubai.

DEWA is also looking to adopt new technologies that will allow a vehicle to be connected to wireless chargers while it is parked.

Also read: Is electric really the future of cars?