Automakers see market for hybrid vehicles in UAE

Dubai: Given the UAE's four-wheel drive culture not to mention the region's focus on fossil fuels you may not think this would be the best market for hybrid cars, but a growing number of companies are looking to bring their line-up of green vehicles to this country.

Russ Wicks of Kepler Motors, the founder of the supercar manufacturing company, multiple speed record holder and the fastest man in a Nascar machine, said his company is not the least bit concerned about winning the hearts of eco-bunnies out there, but it's still helping the cause by getting great results and high performance.

Wicks says Kepler Motor's Motion supercar, unveiled for the first time globally on December 15 in Dubai, is sure to eliminate any doubts about the performance of green (or greener) cars.

He says the combination of its electric motor and petrol engine, placed in the front and rear, respectively, gives the car 800 horsepower, clocks over 320km/h and goes from 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds.

Half the size

How is it helping to save the earth? It usually takes a V12 to get 800 horses, Wicks says, but the Motion does it with a 3.5-litre V6 engine. As the car gets the same performance with an engine half the size, less fuel is burnt, making it more environmentally friendly.

"We're taking advantage of all the efficiencies that are coming about for the economy and we're making it work in a performance mode," Wicks said. "We're not designing for fuel economy or range. We're using it all for performance, but we do get a result."

He said the car can also drive in an electric-only mode, but the range available is not by design. "It's whatever we get."

Al Futtaim Motors also sees the potential here in the region.

"I think genuinely most of society wants to be more responsible," says Len Hunt, group director for the automotive division for Al Futtaim.

Hugh Dickerson, general manager of sales and marketing for Al Futtaim, calls Lexus' LS 600h L the "tool to being more responsible without compromising any of the luxury and power,"

The LS 600h L is a full hybrid, which means it's able to run solely on its electric motor, and was unveiled in the UAE in December. Going the electric route has given the car more power, Dickerson says.

"It's a full hybrid, so when you start up the vehicle, you're starting it up in electric mode, so this silent, clean car gives you instant torque — unlike its petrol version."

Like Wicks, Dickerson says the green value from the car comes from its ability to deliver the "performance of a V12 with the efficiency of a V6".

Dickerson would not divulge what sales targets Lexus has for the world's only full hybrid, but said it is a top-end car, which isn't going to be a high-selling model.

"It's more about how many we can bring in. We're confident we're going to sell every one we can get hold of."

Awareness

BYD, or "Build Your Dreams", of China, an energy solutions company and the second largest rechargeable battery manufacturer, sees eco-awareness spreading in Dubai. "Having done well in the countries around the Gulf region, especially in Africa, we've finally [decided] to officially launch our [products] in the Gulf, country by country," said Paul Lin, manager and spokesman for the Auto Expert Trade Division. But he adds that government support and incentives are needed to secure green motoring in the country.

"In Europe and the US nowadays they have huge incentives. In the US, some states have a more than $7,000-incentive tax feedback. Offering incentives is a good way to promote new-energy vehicles," Lin said.

Calvin Lee, vice-president of Luxgen's marketing division, also says government support is crucial to the success of eco-friendly cars.

As Luxgen's EV+ is fully electric it will inevitably run out of power and need to be recharged. But to have recharge facilities readily available, government support is needed, Lee says.

"Infrastructure is the most important programme for the government, without government support nobody can make [zero-emission cars] happen. In Asia, the Japanese or Chinese government, for example, has the funding to sponsor not only vehicle incentives but also to set up the infrastructure. So, in the UAE, if the government doesn't participate, I think it will be quite difficult to have [environmentally-safe cars]," Lee said.

"In Taiwan, we [Luxgen] have a plan with the government to have in the future sponsored parking lots for free, where EV drivers can recharge their cars."

Asked how efficient the electric car is, Lee said: "Travelling at an average speed of 40km/h the car's range reaches 350km, so it's quite efficient."

Luxgen

The EV+, the world's first electric seven-seater MPV, is a zero-emission vehicle. According to Luxgen, hybrids can't compete with fully electric cars in terms of being environmentally safe. Hybrids generate on average 100 grammes of CO2 per kilometre, equivalent to a tree's absorption for one day, according the Luxgen. The EV+ charges along at 140km/h and produces 240bhp with its 180kW engine.

GM

GM's Chevrolet Volt also made its regional debut in Dubai this month. According to Chevrolet, with a T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack the Volt is able to meet full vehicle speed and acceleration performance while driving on electricity alone, for up to 64 kilometres. The Volt, a front-wheel-drive, four-passenger Extended-Range Electric Vehicle, or E-REV, will consume, on average, less than half of the gasoline compared to a plug-in hybrid.

Mercedes

The S400 Hybrid is the first series production car to have a hybrid drive system with a lithium-ion battery. According to Mercedes, all the luxury and driving comfort is provided by the hybrid "as nothing has been compromised for fuel efficiency." The combined output of its V6 petrol engine and its compact hybrid module is 229bhp. The hybrid hits 100km/h in 7.2 seconds, offering the driver seven speeds to play with inside a 250km/h top end.

BMW

According to Andreas Lampka, the carmaker's spokesman at the Dubai International Motor Show, BMW's X6 and 7 Series Active Hybrids are "based on the V8 twin-turbo cars, but deliver more power with less fuel consumption". The boost from the electric motor is almost 80bhp, he said, giving the X6 SUV a total of 485 horsepower but with 20 per cent better fuel economy.

Kepler Motion

Russ Wicks' supercar marque is named after astronomer Johannes Kepler, and his debut vehicle features a 250bhp electric motor driving the front axle, and a mid-mounted 550bhp 3.5-litre V6 powering the rear axle through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Only 50 will be produced, with prices starting at Dh3.7 million and deliveries starting in 2011.

Lexus

The LS 600h L is a full hybrid, which unlike "mild hybrids" does not need the petrol engine to run the vehicle at all times. Because of its electric motor, the car produces instant torque at start up, and together with the 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, the car produces 520Nm of torque and 438bhp. This full hybrid hits 100 km/h from zero in 5.6 seconds.