Masdar City and ekar announce strategic partnership to bring first Tesla car-share operation to the Middle East
Masdar City and ekar announce strategic partnership to bring first Tesla car-share operation to the Middle East Image Credit: Supplied

Abu Dhbai: The UAE-founded ekar has announced a partnership with Masdar to bring electric vehicle car-sharing to the Middle East by purchasing five Tesla models S and X for its fleet.

The vehicles will be available for hire from Masdar City in Abu Dhabi.

“Masdar City installed the first rapid charging station for electric vehicles in the Middle East,” said Yousef Baselaib, executive director of Sustainable Real Estate at Masdar.

“At Masdar, we recognise the value of car-sharing for our community, both economically and in terms of its reduced environmental footprint. Because the ekar platform is scalable, we are looking forward to introducing more electric vehicles into our car-share fleet in the future.” Masdar’s partnership with ekar is part of its investment to promote low-carbon transport solutions in the UAE.

Users of the dedicated ekar app are now able to rent a Tesla Model S or Model X by the minute, meaning they can enjoy the benefits of driving an electric vehicle without actually purchasing one.

After selecting the Tesla model of their choice, users can pick up the vehicle from an exclusive Masdar City charging station, before returning it to the nearest station for the next customer.