Dubai can be green as forest by 2021: Arabian Automobiles CEO

Dubai could be green as a forest by 2021 if it goes ahead and replaces 10,000 petrol cars with electric ones between now and then, a senior official of a leading car distribution company said yesterday.

Michel Ayat, CEO of Arabian Automobiles – distributor of Nissan and Renault vehicles in Dubai and Northern Emirates, told a conference on Sunday that electric vehicles are “key to make Dubai greenest and sustainable city by 2021 because if there are 10,000 electric cars in the emirate by 2021, Dubai will be as green as forest because changing 10,000 petrol vehicles to electric is equal to planting one million trees. And planting one million trees will have a forest double the size of Downtown Dubai.”

In order to bring in more zero-emission and eco-friendly electric cars on to the roads, he urged the government to facilitate the industry with free parking, exemption in toll system and more friendly regulations.

Electric cars are a more efficient and cost-saving options for motorists as they’re 30 per cent cheaper to maintain, he added.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dewa, said the utility firm is committed to delivering the necessary infrastructure for electric vehicles to facilitate and accelerate the process of its deployment in local markets, in addition to maintaining a clean and sustainable environment.

Al Tayer noted that Dewa will build three types of electric vehicle charging stations that are compatible with the latest international technologies used in electric vehicles. The setting up of the three types will be based on recommendations by the project's consultants. These are fast-charging stations that take 30 minutes, medium-charging stations that take 4 hours, and home-charging stations that take 6 to 8 hours.

Ayat also proposed setting up a committee consisting of public and private players such as automakers, car distributors, Dewa, Roads and Transport Authority and Ministry of Environment to help bring in regulations and better face the challenges to the introduction of electric cars.

The UAE needs to roll out electric vehicles in phases as there are no regulations and infrastructure in place for the sale and registration of such cars in the country, he said.

Ayat said the rollout in the first stage should be within the communities and later on the highways as recharging infrastructure and regulations will be in place in during the course.

“In the first phase during 2015-2016, electric vehicles should be used in large communities such as Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai Design District. In the second phase, between 2017 and 2019, electric cars should be allowed to use for sharing for passengers travelling between metro and tram; and in the third phase of 2019-2021, electric cars can cater the whole city of Dubai,” he said.

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