Dubai — Motorists in Dubai will soon see parking slots reserved for electric cars in petrol stations, malls, airports and some residential communities.
Exclusive parking spaces and subsidies to make electric cars cheaper are among the incentives planned to encourage users to buy the environmental-friendly cars in Dubai, officials of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said on Sunday.
For the government sector, there will be specific strategies requiring them to include a mix of electric and hybrid cars in their fleet of vehicles, they told Khaleej Times.
Executive Vice-President of Strategy and Business Development at Dewa Waleed Salman said all the main stakeholders cooperating with the authority to build electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Dubai have decided to dedicate some slots of parking only for such vehicles.
“It will be in the stations and even on the roads and streets,” he said. The stakeholders include the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Airports, major developers, malls and petrol stations.
Sixteen EV charging stations were opened in Dewa offices across the emirate in February in the first phase of the initiative to build the infrastructure for electric and hybrid cars in Dubai. The Dubai Silicon Oasis opened its first charging station last week. In total, Dubai will have 100 EV charging stations by the end of this year.
MD and CEO of Dewa Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said the authority has an agreement with the developers to have separate parking spaces for electric cars.
The parking spaces designed for EV charging stations are coloured green and will have a logo and note painted on them saying “electric vehicle only”.
Speaking at a Press conference to announce the details of the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (Wetex) 2015, Al Tayer said the exhibition will bring in the top manufacturers of electric and hybrid cars.
At the event to be held from April 21 to 23 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, they will highlight the latest technologies for these cars and their contribution to the preservation of the environment and sustainability.
He ruled out immediate possibilities of Dubai having manufacturing plants for these cars or their spare parts. However, he said, the aim of the government is to have more market players so that there is a competitive environment that will reduce the prices for customers.
Replying to questions on government’s plans for giving other incentives for electric car owners, he said such measures will be looked into in an extensive study by the Supreme Council of Energy.
“We need a detailed study, a clear roadmap and then put the incentives to bring car costs down. People are now buying expensive cars and their fuel bills are also very high. We are going to curb it by ensuring that you have the right product at reasonable operating costs,” Al Tayer said, noting that electric car owners will save more than 50 per cent in fuel costs.
Salman said the Dewa is setting itself as a role model in this regard. “We now have a fleet of eight electric cars. Annually, some percentage of the fleet will be changed from normal gasoline cars to hybrid and electric cars.”
sajila@khaleejtimes.com
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