The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has added 80 hybrid Toyota Camry vehicles to its Dubai taxi fleet – raising the total number of hybrid vehicles in fleet circulation from 65 to 145 vehicles.
“This initiative is an important step towards nurturing a safe, clean and attractive environment capable of raising the profile of Dubai,” said Dr Yousef Al Ali, CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC).
“It signals the joint commitment of RTA and DTC to conserve, and to improve the public health and safety by introducing technologies to curb emissions from transportation.”
The DTC’s operational results for the hybrid vehicles have demonstrated 30% fuel savings, or 25.41 litres per vehicle per day, and cost savings of $14.81 per vehicle per day (at a price of 0.58 per litre).
Al Ali continued: “With the deregulation of fuel prices policy adopted since August 2015, and the anticipated growth coupled with the world’s economic recovery, it is logical to phase out the existing fleet of solely fuel-powered taxicabs and replace them by hybrid vehicles.”
He added that the ordinary vehicles needs about 12.1 litres per 100 km, whereas the hybrid vehicles require only 8.47 litres to cover the same distance, cutting carbon dioxide emissions from 289kg of carbon dioxide emissions per day to around 202kg of carbon dioxide emissions per day.
Ammar Al Buraiki, DTC director of operations, commented: “The RTA was the first entity in the region to trial hybrid vehicles, piloting them as part of the taxi fleet in Dubai from 2008 to 2011.
“In collaboration with Al Futtaim Motors, DTC first deployed 10 hybrid vehicles on a permanent basis in 2012, splitting the financial returns of these vehicles between Drivers Solidarity Trust, Dubai Autism Centre and the Department of Punitive and Reformatory Establishments at the Dubai Police.”
