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Hybrid taxis hit road block

By Shafaat Ahmed DUBAI -- Dubai Taxi 's much-touted hybrid taxi pilot has hit a road block of sorts, as the high cost of procuring the vehicles has rendered the project commercially non-viable.

Already down to five vehicles from the initial number of 10 when it started in 2008, the Roads and Transport Authority ( RTA ) is having second thoughts about continuing the operation of the remaining taxis once the pilot completes its three years in September.

Instead, the RTA which owns Dubai Taxi , is mulling other alternatives to keep the green initiative going. This in no way means, the hybrid project was a failure in any way. In fact, the results show that it achieved almost all the goals it set out to achieve.

Apart from the upfront cost of vehicles, which is proving to be the main hindrance, the vehicles have proved to be fuel efficient, as effective as the normal vehicles, and easy to maintain.

The project was particularly successful with five Toyota vehicles which are still in operation, while the GM built vehicles were withdrawn much earlier and all signs indicate that despite its success it won't be long when the Toyota vehicles will follow suit.

"We are very happy with the result of the project. The performance of Toyota vehicles was particularly impressive. But the problem lies in the initial upfront cost of acquiring the vehicles, the price of a hybrid taxi is double that of the normal ones and this is the biggest hindrance. Commercially, it is not profitable to run these vehicles under the current fare regime so it is difficult to convince the operators to run them without much profit," said Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA 's Licensing Agency and chief of the committee that is overseeing the Hybrid Taxi project.

He added that since the UAE law doesn't provide subsidies to eco-friendly vehicles and buying them at their original price means forsaking all the profits for taxi operators. RTA , in the best interest of business, is deciding against pursuing the project any further.

However, there are alternatives that are equally green like CNG, which RTA is planning to try on some of its vehicles. However, Bahrozyan feels hybrid is the best alternative option for taxis.

"One advantage hybrid vehicles have over other alternatives is that the hybrids don't need a special fuelling infrastructure. These vehicles run on a combination of batteries and petrol and can shift between the two sources of power anytime. These vehicles can be fuelled at any commercial petrol station," he informed.

The hybrid vehicles use batteries when they are running below 60kph and shift to petrol when it exceeds 60kph. It also shifts automatically to petrol when the batteries are running low or vice versa. "In hybrid taxis there is a saving on both fuel and emissions, because in the town, taxis rarely go beyond 60kph due to traffic so that helps save cost as well."

Going strictly by the result, RTA should stick with the hybrid vehicles as a green option, but Bahrozyan says there is no clear plan as yet on the future course of action.

"At this point of time, we don't have a clear idea about our next step, but we are working with manufacturers to absorb the upfront cost of hybrid taxis somehow. We are trying to work out different financing models and hopefully something will work out soon."

CNG option

For now, as some of the other transport operators in the country, RTA seems to be leaning towards the CNG option for its public transport vehicles and is currently working with petroleum retailer ENOC to operate some of its buses on CNG.

The idea is to make some of the public buses, currently running on petrol, into CNG compliant vehicles and monitor their operations and costs for a few months. If things work out well then more buses would be converted in different phases.

In all likelihood, the successful conversion of buses to CNG might mean taxis taking the same route.

© Khaleej Times 2011