10 May 2017
By Sanaullah Ataullah

In a bid to cut carbon emissions, Qatar yesterday announced “Green Car” initiative, an ambitious plan to increase electric and hybrid vehicles in the country to 10% by 2030.

Charging points will be set up at public places to encourage the motorists to adopt these environmentally-friendly means of transportation, said Minister of Transport and Communications, H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti yesterday.

He was speaking at a press conference held after the signing ceremony to launch “Green Car” initiative at Kahramaa Awareness Park (KAP). 

Minister of Transport of Communication; Minister of Energy and Industry, H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, and President of Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramma), Essa bin Hilal Al Kuwari signed a joint cooperation and coordination agreement to launch the project.

“The project will be implemented in two phases - from 2017 to 2022, during which the share of electric and hybrid vehicles will be increased to two to four percent and gradually it will increase to 10 percent by 2030," said Dr Al Sada.

"We will build all necessary infrastructure and enact laws to support achieving the goal,” he added.  → Continued on page 3→ Continued from page 1

The initiative is part of the National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed). Regarding the plan, Al Sada said: “The three partners are working together to make the plan and implement it.”

“This initiative will encourage motorists to have electric and hybrid vehicles because the necessary infrastructure will be built to meet the requirements of such cars,” said Minister of Transport and Communications.

“It will also encourage the car dealers and other investors to join the business. To provide electricity to such cars, the fuel stations will be equipped with necessary charging machines and separate charging stations will be built to serve the purpose,” said the Minister.

Ministry of Transport & Communications will guide the concerned authorities to launch electrical cars within its fleet of transport vehicles and buses in order to spread them in local market. “Ministry of Transport and Communication would make the rules and regulation and provide other facilities to encourage the importers of hybrid and electric cars and they might be given incentive to import such vehicles," said Essa Bin Hilal Al Kuwari, President of Kahramaa.

“Kahramaa in collaboration with existing petrol stations across the country will set up electric cars charging stations and an agreement will be made with owners of shopping malls, hotels and other public places to install charging machines at their facilities,” Al Kuwari said, adding charging points would be available at airport where electric vehicles would be used to ferry the passengers between airport and hotels.

© The Peninsula 2017