The Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, RTA, Mattar Al Tayer has launched the test run of the first hybrid abra; preserving the authentic design and features of the traditional abra.
The step marks the addition of the first hybrid marine transit means to RTA’s marine transport fleet.
During a ride aboard the hybrid abra, Al Tayer heeded to a briefing by Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of Public Transport Agency, about the features of the new abra; which has a capacity for 20 riders. It is powered by a 20KW electric motor and has a lighter weight, thanks to the use of cutting-edge technology.
It has 26 Lead Crystal Batteries and solar energy panels along with a standby generator to recharge batteries when running low in power. Bahrozyan aded that it has an automated firefighting system that will be activated when batteries are overheated. The abra has battery ventilation and cooling system, and USB ports for recharging cell phones.
The Hybrid Abra is characterised by low carbon emissions which are 87 percent lower than petrol-powered abras. It reduces fuel consumption by 172 percent and therefore saves about 134 percent of fuel cost. Its operational and maintenance costs are 83 percent lower compared to any traditional abra and reduces the noise level to the minimum.
The Hybrid Abra will be operated on a trial base on Al Seef- Al Ghubaiba line; one of the key marine transit lines linking four stations (Al Seef, Baniyas, Dubai Old Souq, and Al Ghubaiba). The fare will be AED2 only for transiting between two stations.
"The trial run of the Hybrid Abra supports the Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative. The step is in line with the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, Dubai Plan 2021, and the UAE Vision 2021. It is also compatible with RTA’s Master Plan for leveraging marine transport in Dubai which is used by 13 million riders per annum," Al Tayer noted.
The plan, he said, envisages the construction of 11 new marine transit stations in Dubai over the period of 2018-2020, thus raising the number to 58 marine transport stations in Dubai by 2020. It also encompasses the manufacturing of 11 boats to bring the total number to 61 boats by 2020. New lines will be opened on Dubai Creek, Jumeirah beach, new islands, and the Dubai Water Canal as well as the Ferry service between Dubai and Sharjah," he elaborated.