The tennis tournament in Paris Olympics takes place at Roland Garros where Nadal has won a record 14 French Open singles titles
tennis1 hour ago
Public awareness and education on electric vehicles (EV) usage must complement the government's efforts in introducing incentives and investing in infrastructure, experts said.
The UAE has been heavily investing in importing eco-friendly cars and replacing fuel vehicles in government entities' fleets, while introducing attractive incentives for the public to achieve at least a two per cent electric or hybrid vehicles target in Dubai by 2020 and 10 per cent by 2030.
While Dubai's e-car infrastructure is said to be better than global cities, the biggest challenge in the country isn't a connected infrastructure, as much as educating people on the importance of shifting to eco-friendly cars.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has so far installed 137 EV Green Chargers in malls, airports, residential, petrol stations, residential complexes and commercial offices, working to increase this number to 200 by the end of this year, with each station capable of charging two cars simultaneously. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company plans to raise its 12 charging stations to 20 in the Capital.
Yet the public remains hesitant to buy an electric car given its high price and low market supply. Ben Pullen, co-founder and managing director of Global EVRT, said besides saving the environment, electric cars are faster, smoother and cheaper to drive.
"People are usually concerned about the driving experience, but the technology and experience of driving an electric car is much more efficient, making the acceleration smoother and faster than a fuel vehicle," said Pullen.
Electric car users receive 70 free parking spaces in 40 paid parking zones across Dubai, free car charging until end of 2019, free Salik tags and exemption of the Roads and Transports Authority (RTA) vehicle registration and renewal fees. Eco-friendly cars produce 33 per cent less carbon emissions compared to other cars.
Despite the high cost of purchasing an electric vehicle, its long-term cost-effectiveness makes it an investment. Buying an eco-friendly car in instalments is possible, especially if users are aware that they will save huge amounts of money on the long run amid the escalating fuel prices and high maintenance costs of fuel vehicles, Pullen said.
While Dewa has set the tariff for charging an e-vehicle at Green Chargers at 29 fils per kilowatt, an e-car can last up to a week without charging if a driver travels 50km per day, with no extra charges spent on parking or Salik tags.
"With the current e-car infrastructure, people can easily drive from Abu Dhabi to Dubai for example. People can have their own charging stations at home or in the office, another privilege that isn't present in a fuel vehicle."
Global EVRT recently installed over 20 charging stations in Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaima, Fujairah, Dubai and Oman.
Charging a Renault electric car costs Dh7, as compared to fueling a petrol-powered Renault with about Dh120, and a Tesla car can cost up to Dh29 compared to over Dh200 of fuel. A standard residential electricity rate applies if a car is charged at home.
Pullen said a main challenge, however, remains the low number of e-cars available in the market due to the hesitance of manufacturers about the demand.
Despite the low number of e-cars, a Dewa study suggested that incentives and awareness will help Dubai witness a surge in eco-friendly cars sales to 32,000 by 2020 and 42,000 by 2030. The aim is to make electric cars reach 2 per cent of Dubai's vehicular fleet by 2020 and 10 per cent by 2030.
The tennis tournament in Paris Olympics takes place at Roland Garros where Nadal has won a record 14 French Open singles titles
tennis1 hour ago
The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority on Monday announced its preparedness for the unstable weather conditions
uae1 hour ago
Al Ain, which beat Saudi giants Al Hilal and Al Nassr, will will face Yokohama F Marinos in the final
football1 hour ago
DIFC has helped position Dubai as the top city in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region
business1 hour ago
The Abu Dhabi-based bank continues to maintain strong liquidity and robust operational efficiencies
business1 hour ago
The showpiece 20-over event will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States in June with New York, Florida and Dallas as venues
cricket1 hour ago
Robotic-assisted surgery offers minimal side effects, allowing the 50-year-old patient to attend his office after two weeks of surgery
kt network2 hours ago
Violating community security is a 'red line', said the UAQ authority
uae2 hours ago