Residents not ready to make the switch to electric vehicles

NOT ENOUGH CHARGING STATIONS ACROSS EMIRATES, THEY SAY

Residents in Dubai say electric vehicle charging stations alone are not enough to make switch to hybrid or electric cars. “Introducing these charging stations is a great step by the government, but I don’t think it would encourage the public, including myself, to switch to the electric car because they are not as convenient as regular cars,” Bassem Mohammad, a Jordanian who works in the advertising field, said.

Charging a car can take up to 30 minutes, Mohammad said, which can be problematic if you are running late. He would rather pay for petrol, which is relatively cheap in the UAE. “Also, 16 charging stations that are restricted to Dubai are not enough. What if I get stranded in Sharjah or Abu Dhabi?”

Mohammad would consider buying an electric car when spare parts and charging stations are located everywhere.

Ahmad Al Alami, a Palestinian mechanical engineer, said he would consider a hybrid car, but not an electrical one.

“An electric car is not convenient. It needs to be charged every 20,000-25,000 miles and it takes time. A hybrid, on the other hand, which is part electrical part petrol, is more convenient,” he said.

“To encourage more people to purchase these environmental cars, I think they should be provided with incentives. In the UK, for example, they exempt people who buy these cars from importation fees and congestion charges,” he added.

Egyptian IT professional Mohammad Radi, 25, said that this is a great move by Dubai, “Dubai is always keeping up with the latest trends in technology.”

16 charging stations that are restricted to Dubai are not enough. What if I get stranded in Sharjah or Abu Dhabi where there are no charging stations?” Bassem Mohammad | Jordanian

‘Way above my budget’

However, Radi, who is a car enthusiast, said he won’t buy an electric or hybrid car any time soon. “The problem with electric cars is that the affordable ones do not look good or have great specifications, and the great ones that I would have switched for, like the BMW i8, the Fisker or the McClaren P1 and the Tesla, are way above my budget.”

He said that if in the future there are “cool-looking” hybrid cars within his budget, he might consider, “but I would not buy a fully electrical car, because I’d like the option of switching back and forth between the two options. For example, I’d like to be able to drive in electrical mode when in traffic because it’s efficient, and switch back to the normal mode when I am on a highway.”

Another drawback in Radi’s opinion that would discourage him from buying an electrical car is that it takes time to charge.

Emirati motorist Sawsan said she rented a hybrid car for one week and only had to refuel it once. She did not experience any problems on the road, but she said the car did have some setbacks.

“The setback is finding technicians who know how to repair electric and hybrid cars. Also, most electric and hybrid cars are saloon cars and not 4x4s, so this means you can’t go to the desert and have to stick to the city.”

I think they should be provided with incentives [to use electric cars]. In the UK, for example, they exempt people who buy these cars from importation fees and congestion charges.” Ahmad Al Alami | Palestinian