Dubai: A new incentive program launched Wednesday by the UAE Ministry of Energy will encourage motorists to buy new zero-carbon-emissions electric vehicles through green bank loans, green insurance plans, attractive EV car prices and green registration of vehicles.
Introduced at a packed announcement at Emirates Towers, the rollout was led by Minister of Energy Suhail Al Mazroui who said the new platform dubbed “Incentives for Using Electric Vehicles” will call for 10 per cent of car fleets of federal ministries and agencies to be comprised of electric vehicles.
The long-term plan aims for up to 20 per cent of government fleets to be electric to complement other alternative-fuel measures for government vehicles already taken.
Al Mazroui said “we are working on a road map to expedite a 15 per cent reduction by 2020 of carbon emissions.”
The energy minister was on hand as 10 new agreements were signed, five by Emirates Transport in Abu Dhabi as well as another five by the Ministry of Energy to take a greener road.
The new platform is also good news for consumers, Al Mazroui said, because it is cooperating with banks, car companies and insurance firms to help educate potential electric vehicle buyers on the benefits of going green to reduce greenhouse gases in the UAE.
In Dubai, meanwhile, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, joined with council members who ratified an incentive programme to promote the use of electric cars in Dubai that mirrors the federal initiative.
The decision was made by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA, and Dubai Municipality at the 45th meeting of the Supreme Council of Energy..
The Supreme Council issued directive Number 01 of 2016 that government institutions must ensure that 10 per cent of all new purchases of fleet vehicles are of hybrid or electric vehicles. This will support the target for 2020 for two per cent of all vehicles to be hybrid or electric, and by 2030 this will rise to 10 per cent. This will help to reduce total carbon emissions in Dubai by 2021 by 19 per cent, reported WAM.
