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Dubai: RTA plans 100% electric, hybrid taxi fleet by 2027

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Dubai - The total number of eco-friendly hybrid, electric taxis and limousines in Dubai hit 4,683 in 2020.

Published: Mon 16 Aug 2021, 12:09 PM

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About 50 per cent of the Dubai Taxi fleet are eco-friendly electric or hybrid vehicles, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has said. The authority is now aiming to convert the entire fleet to green vehicles by 2027.

Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said the total number of hybrid/electric taxis and limousines in Dubai hit 4,683 in 2020.

About 4,510 of these vehicles are hybrid taxis; and 173 electric/hybrid limos at the Dubai Taxi Corporation, a statement issued on Monday said.

“The RTA succeeded in adding 2,434 hybrid vehicles, 170 electric vehicles and three hybrid limousines to the fleet of Dubai Taxi. The number of hybrid taxis operated by franchise companies is 2,076.

“A six-year plan … seeks to raise the proportion of hybrid taxis in the fleet from the existing 50 per cent to 80 per cent by 2025 and achieve the ultimate target of 100 per cent by 2027,” added Al Tayer.

The RTA was the first entity in the region to trial hybrid vehicles powered by fuel and electricity. Results showed that vehicles covered more than 550,000km without any major issues.

“Consequently, savings in fuel consumption amounted to 34 per cent, and carbon emissions reduced by 34 per cent. In 2017, the RTA deployed Tesla electric vehicles featuring several components of self-driving technologies and operated them as part of the Dubai Taxi limo fleet,” said Al Tayer.

In December 2019, the RTA launched the trial run of the first hydrogen-powered taxi in the Middle East as a limousine service at the Dubai International Airport.



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