Hybrid taxis to hit roads soon
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In Dubai the existing fleet of taxis operating in Dubai will soon be replaced with eco-friendly counterparts running on 'hybrid' engines that would run on both fuel and electricity, said Abdul Aziz Malik, CEO of the Taxi Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Last month, the RTA had launched 10 hybrid taxis on an experimental
basis for a year during which their performance would be assessed. If
found successful, the entire taxi fleet will be replaced with hybrid
vehicles in the future, said Malik.
Under the hybrid technology, a vehicle first moves with the help of
electricity and only changes into diesel mode after 60km. This means
that the consumption of diesel is less which helps reduce pollution
levels.
Earlier, Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director
of the RTA, had said that the RTA was conducting a complete overhaul of
mass transit systems in the emirate to make them environmentally
friendly.
"A team has been formed and they are working in a bid to replace the
existing fleet of taxis and buses with eco-friendly counterparts. The
aim is to utilise the existing knowhow to minimise the vehicular
pollution exhausts, improve the fuel quality in public buses, introduce
global standards and start implementation of the
environmentally-friendly hybrid vehicles technology in Dubai," Al Tayer
had said.
Speaking to Khaleej Times earlier, Issa Al Dossari, CEO of the Public
Transport Agency, said hybrid buses would be running all across the
emirate in three years.
"At present, we have bought around 620 buses which have Euro-4
eco-friendly engines. These engines use the purest form of diesel
reducing emissions considerably. We will concentrate on hybrid buses
once the hybrid taxi fleet starts operating," he said.
The Marine Agency of the RTA, too, is running three abras on CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) empowered engines.
Source: Khaleejtimes
By a staff reporter
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