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Free parking and other perks for eco-friendly cars

Dubai - Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of an exhibition of electric, solar and hybrid cars held on Dubai Municipality's Car Free Day, Hareb said Ajman has become the first emirate to offer free parking for electric cars.

Various emirates in the UAE are coming up with incentives for environmentally-friendly vehicles including free and special parking facilities.
The newly renamed Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is working with local municipalities to offer incentives to the owners of such cars so that they will be used on a larger scale in the country, Fahad Hareb, the director of the Air Quality Department at the ministry, said on Sunday.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of an exhibition of electric, solar and hybrid cars held on Dubai Municipality's Car Free Day, Hareb said Ajman has become the first emirate to offer free parking for electric cars.
"The Ajman Municipality has offered free parking for anyone who has an electric or eco-friendly car."
According to him, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have also accepted to offer free parking for these cars.
In Dubai, he said the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has agreed to provide free Salik tags and special parking for electric cars.
"We are putting together the regulations to ensure that it is done properly, mostly by mid-year," he said.
"We hope such perks will encourage people to go for eco-friendly cars. There are various options available now."
The President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) Mohammed Ben Sulayem said driving electric and hybrid cars is a relatively new concept in the world of the automotive industry in the Middle East.
"People here are not yet used to buying this kind of cars yet. But the positive impact and environmental solutions offered by this concept make it imperative for all the parties concerned to work on setting an effective strategy that can contribute in spreading this concept in the near future," said Ben Sulayem.
Said to be the first electric car to be fully designed and produced in the region, Oman's Nur Majan was also displayed at the exhibition. CEO of the company Sultan Al Amri said the car will be brought to the UAE market by 2019.
sajila@khaleejtimes.com