UAE | Traffic and Transport

RTA to extend trial of hybrid taxis

Trials of hybrid engine taxis in Dubai are to be extended, the Public Transport Agency has said.

  • By Alice Johnson, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:58 August 15, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Trials of hybrid engine taxis in Dubai are to be extended.
  • Image Credit: D. Trazo/Gulf News

Dubai: Trials of hybrid engine taxis in Dubai are to be extended, the Public Transport Agency has said.

At the beginning of June, ten Chevrolet Tahoe and Malibu models from General Motors were fitted with these green engines and have been tested on Dubai's roads since then.

Recently, another ten vehicles, hybrid Camry cars from Toyota, were delivered, which will undergo internal tests before being deployed for passenger trials.

Abdul Aziz Malek, CEO of Dubai Taxi Agency and Acting CEO of the Public Transport Agency, said: "There are plans to extend the trial beyond December 2008, as we will be introducing more hybrid taxis from other car makers like Toyota. The extension will give a good comparison between different hybrid electric vehicles under the same environment."

Tests

"The ten hybrid Tahoe SUVs and Malibu sedans are currently undergoing hot and humid weather testing.

"From August 11 to 14, General Motors and Dubai Taxi will also put the vehicles through long-distance validation tests. Safety and performance of the vehicles have met expectations to date, with minimal maintenance required at the current stage," he said.

He continued that the taxi drivers involved in the trials have responded positively.

"Their driving experience has improved with less noise from the engines. Passengers have also responded positively with some queries on when the hybrid taxis will be available in the general market," he said.

At the time of the pilot phase announcement, opened by Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, new double-deck buses fitted with Euro 4 standard engines were also inaugurated.

Public buses in Dubai will also use low-sulphur diesel in the future.

Currently, there are plans to replace current buses with new buses fitted with these engines, which comply with acceptable limits of exhaust emissions (nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter) in 2005 European Union directives. Euro 5 engine directives were proposed this year.

Malek said: "The current public bus fleet is undergoing gradual replacement with higher quality buses with engines of Euro 4 standard. In addition, 50ppm [parts per million] low sulphur diesel will be used in future to reduce the pollution from emissions."

While these engines will be fitted across the bus fleet in Dubai, hybrid engines are not yet a feasible option. This is because hybrid technology for buses is behind the technology used for small cars, and currently it is not economically viable to fit buses with hybrid engines.

"It is part of the plan to consider the trial of hybrid buses to a point where the total cost of ownership is more manageable. We are in discussions with hybrid bus manufacturers on a time-frame where they can deliver hybrid buses for trial that will meet the operating conditions in Dubai. We constantly welcome any potential partnerships from hybrid vehicle suppliers," he said.

Currently, there is no set date for full conversion to hybrid-engine public transport fleets, because of issues concerning humidity, dust and power requirements for air-conditioning and technological constraints.

While smaller vehicles will be first to convert to hybrid power, the time-frame for public buses is longer, because of the need to match operational performance with current needs.

Some bus services may be more suitable for operation under hybrid power.

Malek said: "We are referring the application of hybrid vehicles to other sectors where the current shorter operating range of hybrid buses is more acceptable to their operations. Hence, while hybrid buses may not meet the operational parameters as a public bus, it may be implemented for other uses in Dubai where short operating trips with zero or low emissions are required."

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