Car companies in the UAE said that the high prices of electric cars, and the fear of running out of battery before reaching the charging station, in addition to the high price of the battery and the length of charging, are among the main challenges facing the spread of electric cars in the market today.

She explained, "Emirates Today," that electric cars have several advantages, due to its positive effects on consumers and society as a whole, as they are less expensive than ordinary cars in terms of after-sales services, as well as enjoy these new technologies such as alerting the driver for any errors Or problems on the road, which significantly reduces crashes and accidents.

The companies praised the incentives currently offered in Dubai, especially the free shipping of electric vehicles to users registered in the Green Charger Initiative, stressing the importance of incentives given by some countries to increase the demand for electric vehicles, in addition to awareness of the benefits of these cars.

Develop specifications

Ahmed Khalifa, Director of Product Development for the Middle East at PSA Group, which includes Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, said there were several challenges facing the proliferation of electric vehicles, notably the high price of their battery. In addition to the increase in the speed of shipping to more than 300 kilometers, as well as the increase of charging stations in various emirates.

He pointed out that there are currently in Dubai, 200 charging stations for these cars, while it is expected to see the intensity of the coming years in the introduction of electric cars from international car companies.

Khalifa stressed the need to develop specifications for electric cars, to include more features that help increase the acceptance of Gulf consumers to buy them, stressing the importance of this type of cars, in terms of reducing fuel consumption, as well as maintaining the time of consumers rather than waiting in queues at gas stations, And improve air quality.

The importance of incentives

Khalifa stressed the importance of incentives given by some countries to increase the demand for electric cars, such as exemption of new electric cars from taxes, renewal of registration of cars for free, in addition to providing free parking, and the allocation of certain lanes on the roads, to reduce the severity of congestion.

He revealed that PSA has a sustainable plan until 2025, which includes the introduction of electric cars or hybrids with each new model launched during the period from 2020 to 2025, explaining that the group is preparing to launch a hybrid car «Peugeot», powered by electricity and gasoline together The UAE is the first Gulf country to be launched in 2021 and 2022.

Additional steps

Dr. Hamid Haqbarwar, Managing Director of BMW Group in the Middle East, said that increasing levels of adoption of electric vehicles in the Middle East requires additional awareness steps to familiarize the general public with its many advantages.

He pointed to the incentives currently offered in Dubai, especially the free shipping of electric vehicles to users registered in the Green Charger Initiative, as well as the registration of these vehicles for free with the provision of a free Salik card, in addition to the allocation of free parking for electric vehicles, which contributes to increase sales of electric vehicles.

Haqbarwar announced that the Group intends to launch the BMW i3s in the UAE this year, while continuing to provide electric powered versions of all models of the BMW brand, and has developed its strategic plan for the next phase, which aims to accelerate the process of expansion. In the high-powered models, by the introduction of 25 models powered by 2023, noting that more than half of these new models are using electricity exclusively.

Initial cost

Irfan Tansel, CEO of Al Masaood Automobiles, said that the high initial cost of electric vehicles is a hindrance, despite the advantages of lower operating and service costs. The challenges that electric vehicles are currently facing in the market.

Tansel said that the shift towards electric vehicles is inevitable, with its increasing importance nowadays, with the growing global trend towards the adoption of environmentally safe technologies, out of concern for the use of renewable energy sources that support sustainability.

He pointed out that electric cars are less expensive than ordinary cars, especially in terms of after-sales services, and the transition to electric cars help to achieve climate goals by reducing harmful emissions, and contribute to the transition to a green economy, and supports long-term economic growth, as well as These vehicles have state-of-the-art technologies, such as warning the driver of any errors or problems or warning of dangers coming on the road, which contributes to a significant reduction in crashes and accidents.

"Al Masaood Motors has recently launched the latest model for the all-electric model, the Renault Zoe Long Range in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain," he said, adding that the car has a range of 400 km in full charge and gives the user in normal conditions. The drive has a range of up to 300 kilometers in full charge, while it can be shipped from any charging station.

Encourage consumers

Salman Sultan, Regional Public Relations and Social Media Manager at Jaguar Land Rover Middle East and North Africa, said there is a lot to be done to encourage consumers to use electric vehicles, as many challenges remain. Sufficient infrastructure to ship these vehicles, in light of the lack of shipping infrastructure for those living in high buildings, for example.

He pointed out that the companies, which offer electric cars, aimed to be those cars low cost, and to be available to more drivers, especially since there are great benefits for these cars, in terms of sustainability in particular.

Benefits

Sultan added that the fully electric Jaguar I-PACE will arrive in the UAE and the region during the second half of this year, noting that from next year, all new Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles will be available with the option of electric operation.

He stressed that converting the transmission system to electrical energy provides many benefits for the consumer and society, the first is that the operating costs of electric cars less than traditional cars running on fuel, because they use energy derived from the electric grid, rather than pay per liter to fill the fuel tank, and the costs of maintaining On electric vehicles much less and there is no exhaust, which helps to reduce fossil fuel emissions.

• 200 charging stations for electric vehicles in Dubai today.

clear vision

Salman Sultan, Regional Director of Public Relations and Social Media at Jaguar Land Rover, Middle East and North Africa, said the UAE has a clear vision of a sustainable future in which electric vehicles play an important role.

He added that in Dubai, the government has started to develop the necessary infrastructure for electric vehicles, pointing out that the emirate has free parking dedicated to those cars, in addition to free shipping, free registration and renewal, in addition to exemption from Salik fees.

Car update

Ahmed Khalifa, Director of Product Development for the Middle East at PSA Group, which includes Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, explained that electric cars are providing consumers with the advantage of easily updating the car and equipping it with modern technologies, especially self-driving. Driving pleasure is also achieved due to the quietness of the engine, and the driver does not suffer from loud sounds in the cab, as it does on many regular car models.