Green public transport system comes to Qatar in regional first

Doha: Solar cars and battery-powered buses will soon make Qatar the first country in the region to have an environmentally-friendly public transport system.

In a bid to cut down on air pollution, government-owned public transport company, Mowasalat, is to replace combustion engines with alternative vehicles propelled by photovoltaic cells and electricity.

"Our leaders have a vision. To make Qatar a green country, the first to use clean energy for its entire transportation system," business development manager Ahmad Al Ansari told Gulf News.

"We want to improve our transport system and make it compatible with the environment, especially as Qatar is bidding to host the 2016 Olympics."

Prototype

Al Ansari said the company's research centre had already realised a prototype of battery-powered and solar buses and taxis and was now trying to improve vehicle performance before proceeding to the operation phase.

"We have no clear timeframe, so I cannot tell exactly when the buses will be seen on the streets, but it will not be long. We are looking at some technical aspects now, such as optimising vehicle performance, and also setting up all related services, such as special maintenance facilities and charging stations."

The energy constraints of solar and battery-powered cars challenge the speed and distance expectations of customers and the company wants to have the best possible vehicles on the streets, said Al Ansari.

The prototype 36-seater battery-powered bus can reach a maximum speed of 70 kilometres and with a full battery can run between a distance of 120 and 150 kilometres.

"We are trying to see if we can improve the performances," he said.

Mowasalat has partnered with a Chinese company, Kinglong, for the production of the vehicles, which are designed by the company's research department.

The company also plans to patent the new product to distribute it globally. Launched in 2004, Mowasalat has a fleet of 2,400 taxis and limousines and 1,800 buses.

Since September 2006, the company has launched a new taxi service that uses liquefied petroleum gas fuel (LPG), an environment-friendly fuel.

Qatar has the world's third largest natural gas reserves, and the leadership intends to exploit this important resource for its transport needs, Al Ansari said.