The Emirates Electric Vehicle Road Trip (EVRT), a four-day event held in the UAE as part of a global electric vehicle (EV) initiative, saw a Tesla Model X, Tesla Model S and eight other EVs undertake a 700km tour across Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Abu Dhabi of the first charging stations in the UAE.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is installing 100 electric chargers across the emirate in locations including at Dubai’s airports, the Dubai Municipality, the RTA, shopping malls, petrol stations, hotels and various parking areas in an attempt to promote EV use.
AXA Insurance Gulf, a sponsor, also used the event to announce a dedicated insurance solution for EVs and customers covered under the Tesla Club Scheme in the UAE and the Gulf region.
“The aim of Emirates EVRT is to drive the adoption of electric vehicles in the region and accelerate the transition towards a sustainable low-carbon future, and propel the green mobility movement of the country from conception to adoption.” said John O’Brien, UAE country manager of AXA Gulf.
“Electric vehicles are still emerging in the Middle East and one of our key pillars in our global strategy is to support sustainability, and that is also part of the UAE 2021 vision.”
Dubai is the first city in the region to express its desire to achieve green mobility, having set targets to reduce carbon emissions by 16% by 2021.
The initiative also targets a 10% share for hybrid and electric vehicles among all new cars purchased between 2016 and 2020, and that 2% of all cars in Dubai will be either electric or hybrid vehicles by 2020 – reaching 10% by 2030.
The RTA already operates 300 hybrid taxi cars, accounting for 6% of the total taxi fleet and is working to convert 50% of the taxi fleet to hybrid cars by 2021.
These vehicles produce 33% less carbon emissions compared to other cars, according to Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA.
