Within the next ten years, it is hoped that at least 10% of vehicles in Dubai will be electric or hybrid. For motorists, the advantages of electric vehicles include improved fuel economy and lower fuel prices. In addition, everyone benefits from the positive effects of lower emissions and the resulting reduction in air pollution. New initiatives and agreements set out the government’s aims for reduced air pollution, while incentives and promotional events inspire the transformation to electric vehicles.
High Performance Cars With Lower Emissions
On a global scale, there is growing concern about the damaging health effects of pollution. To respond to the increasing problem of carbon emissions, Dubai, together with 34 other cities from around the world, has recently signed the C40 Clean Air Cities Declaration. This is a pledge to introduce new policies to lower carbon emissions by 2025, set targets for a reduction in pollution, and publicly report on improvements that have been achieved. As vehicle emissions are a major contributory factor to air pollution, all 35 cities are also promising a move away from cars run on fossil fuels towards more electric vehicles. Cars are often viewed as a status symbol, but now, with a much greater range of electric and hybrid vehicles on the market, there is no need to sacrifice high performance and stylish design in order to benefit from greater fuel economy and lower emissions.
Increasing The Electric Charging Infrastructure
To further encourage the switch to electric vehicles, a convenient and accessible network of charging points is essential. Throughout the UAE, there are roughly 650 charging points. In Dubai alone, the Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has already installed 240 charging points and aims to add 60 more charging stations for electric vehicles within the year. As an increasing number of private property developers add charging stations to new buildings as standard, the network of charging points continues to grow.
Green Initiative Extends Free Charging
Increasing infrastructure was the aim of the government’s EV Green Charger Initiative introduced five years ago. At the time, there were very few electric vehicles on the road, but the government now estimates that it can provide sufficient access to charging to accommodate over 30,000 electric vehicles by the end of 2020. To help encourage more motorists to use electric vehicles, it is currently free to charge an electric vehicle, and for private users, this incentive will be extended until the end of 2021. Improving access to stations and allowing motorists to charge their vehicles for free will help Dubai to reach its current goal of reducing carbon emissions by 16% by 2021.
To meet targets to lower carbon emissions, reduce pollution and minimize the use of fossil fuels throughout the UAE, the use of electric vehicles is being encouraged. An increasing choice of hybrid and electric vehicles, together with an expanding infrastructure to support quick and free charging, is making the switch to electric vehicles a much easier choice for motorists.