Catch a cab in Dubai? And want to make it electric? Try hailing one through Arabia Taxi, the latest company to add all-electric Teslas to its offerings. Arabia Taxi has invested in 269 Tesla Model 3 to be used in the city of Dubai. From 2027 onwards, only electrified taxis will be permitted in the city. Arabia Taxi currently operates 6,000 vehicles throughout the United Arab Emirates, and 83 percent of them are hybrids.
Going electric doesn’t solve climate change if the power produced to charge the cars comes from natural gas or oil, but electric certainly stops emissions and asthma in cities where small particulate matter causes harm to human health.
The Tesla cabs are “a giant leap towards converting the company’s fleet to fully electric,” the cab company said in a press statement.
Arabia Taxi is a subsidiary of the Economic Group owned by the ruling family and run by Sheikh Majid bin Hamad Al Qasimi. He noted that the company was working on a strategic plan to convert the remaining vehicles into fully electric cars ones and possibly hydrogen (a pet project of rich Arab countries) as it goes ahead “expanding its cooperation with Tesla and several electric car manufacturers.”
Dubai is always the first of Arab cities to try out the latest in green technology. Back in 2008 they were the first to let these all electric cars on the road.
The Roads and Transport Authority’s Ahmed Bahrozyan said: “This step confirms the efforts of Arabia Taxi working to translate the directions of our wise leadership, to rationalize the use of energy in the UAE, and to create a safe, clean and sustainable environment that lives up to the level of reputation and prestige of the Emirate of Dubai, as well as promoting the Dubai government’s initiative to introduce green vehicles for a cleaner environment.”
Police going electric
The COP28 UN climate summit will take place in Dubai later this year. And the police are towing the green line: they h electric sports car to their luxury fleet: The Audi RS e-tron GT will be one of the cars driven by the Dubai police. The patrol car costs about $110,000 (USD) and has a top speed of 249kph.
Dubai Police’s fleet of supercars already includes Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Bugatti, Ferrari, Bentley, Porsche, McLaren.
