A Clean Drive

Jatinder Gakhal, Head of Marketing and Media Strategist at The Elite Cars discusses the emergence of cleaner modes of transportation and its impact on the region

Hybrid cars basically operate on two engines — one petrol and one electric. Both engines working together, use less petrol, therefore, giving higher fuel efficiency. As compared to conventional automobiles, hybrid cars increase the efficiency of fuel and simultaneously, lower emissions, making it environment friendly. However, Jatinder Gakhal, Head of Marketing and Media Strategist at The Elite Cars explained, the price range remains the same as a conventional vehicle as it also an internal combustion engine (ICE).

He further clarified that electric vehicles, also known as EVs, operate on an electric motor, completely and utilising the power from the motor to propel the vehicle. EVs are more economical and release no pollutants in the air, however, they are still to reach the potential of hybrid or traditional vehicles in terms of power, speed, efficiency and distance covered.

Cleaning the environment

Gakhal said that the major benefit of zero-emission cars is the contribution that they can make towards improving air quality in towns and cities. With no tailpipe, pure electric cars produce zero carbon dioxide emissions when driving. This reduces air pollution considerably. He added that when discussing electric cars, you also have to take recycled batteries that power EVs and hybrid cars into account, as it also reduces the amount of harmful emissions that are impacting the environment. He conceded that although the manufacturing process of an electric car does use a lot of energy, but he said that even after taking the lithium-ion battery manufacturing into account, electric cars are still a greener option. This is because of the reduction in emissions created over the car’s lifetime in comparison to the emissions from an ICE vehicle.

The UAE's reaction to the change

Speaking about the reception of these new modes of travel in the region, Gakhal said that the UAE has taken a number of initiatives towards accelerating the transition of electric vehicles. One of them is 'UAE Net Zero 2050', which is a strategic initiative to make public transportation emission free by 2050, making the country the first one in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to do so.

Further highlighting the UAE’s vision to move towards cleaner modes of transportation, he said that it is also important to note that currently the UAE has more than 240 charging stations for EVs throughout the country, which is the largest number of EV charging stations in the world. Gakhal said that this is mostly being supported by the 'Green charger' initiative launched by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) to provide charging stations for electric vehicles in various parts of Dubai. With higher awareness and a sense of responsibility, he said that the masses are now moving towards electric vehicles, which not only produce less pollution, but also come within an affordable pricing range, giving them an added advantage.

Gakhal said that The Elite Cars, being the UAE's leading luxury car dealer, has reacted to this change by taking note of the interest in hybrid and electric vehicles not just within the UAE, but on an international level. He said that because of this new demand and rise in greener and eco-friendly vehicles, The Elite Cars is standing true to its name by introducing practical EV cars, ranging from Tesla to luxury hybrid vehicles and hybrid supercars. He further added that The Elite Cars is committed to continue expanding its range of stock with the latest EV and hybrid models from the world's most luxurious marques.

The Elite Cars is standing true to its name by introducing practical EV cars, ranging from Tesla to luxury hybrid vehicles and hybrid supercars.