Josh Anderson, EVP of Engineering for US manufacturer DesignLine has told delegates at the Commercial Vehicles Middle East conference that the GCC and the wider Middle East region can become a leader in adopting electric vehicle (EV) technology for fleet and public transport use.
Electric buses combine environmental benefits with major savings on maintenance costs for fleet and passenger bus operators, Anderson said in his address to the Commercial Vehicles conference.
“The Middle East region is very attractive because there is such an interest in green, sustainable solutions in every aspect of daily life, and it is a focus of so many government and private initiatives,” said Anderson.
DesignLine’s own EV buses have been trialed on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island and have, over the past four years, DesignLine buses been in daily operation at Charlotte International Airport in the US. Anderson claimed that there had been a reduction in maintenance costs of up to 93% at Charlotte.
“When purchasing a traditional diesel bus, there is the lifetime cost of fueling, servicing, maintaining, and repairing to take into consideration,” said Anderson. “Rarely do buyers consider these costs when making the initial purchase. If total lifecycle costs are examined, electric and hybrid buses provide substantial savings to fleet owners.”
DesignLine and its UAE dealer, Liberty Automobiles, are setting up a $US30 million, 19,300m2 manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi later this year for the world’s first zero emission electric passenger bus, and expect strong Middle East orders.
“We have found that the interest in adopting electric transportation is high, and Middle East clients are leading other countries in their interest to adopt electric vehicles.”
