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Electric cars are much more common today than before. They offer considerable improvements in performance combined with zero emissions. Unlike earlier, there are a number of cars for you to choose from depending on your needs.
Opting for electric vehicles is now much easier with the support of the government as well. The Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum has issued directives that focus on building enough charging points in and around the city. This directive also mentions that all charging stations need to meet strict technical standards to be implemented. This means better safety and more compatibility for EV owners. It also stipulates that 10% of all newly purchased cars from any manufacturer need to be electric.
Dubai Supreme Council of Energy is hard at work to make EVs more attractive to own and drive for the people of Dubai. DEWA provided free charging for electric vehicle owners for a period of two years from 2017 to 2019. Because of the success of this initiative, it has been extended till the 31st of December 2021. EV owners also get free assigned parking spaces, RTA exemption, and renewal fees. These can significantly bring down the costs of owning and operating an EV along with lower fuel costs.
Electric vehicles are aimed at a more sustainable future. And since the government backs this up, owners need not worry about being left in the lurch. Dubai Municipality and the RTA have come up with several initiatives focusing on getting more EVs out on the roads. The plan is to lower CO2 emissions by as much as 16% by the end of 2021. Dubai is planning to introduce the best standards as far as EVs are concerned.
Currently, there are more than 300 Green Chargers installed around the city by DEWA. And there are plans for even more variants to cope with demand. There is going to be an Ultra fast charger (150 kW), Fast charger (43 kW), public charger (2 x 22 kW), and wall-box (22 kW). All of these will conform to the highest international standards to prevent mishaps with your EV. All these will be listed on popular mobile map applications like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Foursquare. This makes it easy to find and accessible for current owners.
A large part of the cost is mitigated through saving fuel costs compared to vehicles that run on fossil fuels. ICE vehicles cost approximately 23% more than electric vehicles to run annually. In addition, the average cost to refill a gas car is 81% higher when compared to charging your electric vehicle. Also, factoring in incentives like free usage of electric charging points and subsidies, this difference is even higher. All these factors make owning an EV a much better alternative than an ICE automobile.
Let’s take a quick look at popular EV models we have at Allied Motors –
With their foray into electric cars, Mercedes Benz is hoping to grab a significant part of the market. The EQC 400 brings luxury and convenience in an SUV-shaped package. It uses premium materials and is aimed at people who want their electric cars as close to ICE-powered cars.
The cabin is much more refined and luxurious than that of its competitors like Tesla and Jaguar. It has much higher levels of execution with faux leather interiors. It comes with air suspension at the rear, which makes the ride ultra-smooth even on bad roads. It feels plush and unhurried – the ride comfort is pretty high. We feel that this is one of the easiest and relaxing electric cars around.
As is typical with a lot of Mercedes models, it comes with the MBUX infotainment system. Here, it is much more customized and configurable. The visuals are sharp and have a premium feel to them, which most cars in this category don’t. It also comes with an advanced driver assistance pack for even more ease of use.
Even though MB has rear or 4wd on most of its SUVs, this is a front-wheel-drive car. It puts out more than 400 horsepower and up to 765 Nm of torque. Typical of EVs, all this is available as soon as you want it, without any delays. Since it is a heavy vehicle, acceleration times are a bit blunt, but not by that much. It still manages a sports car like 0-199 kph in 5.1 seconds.
It has an estimated range of 417 kms (259 miles) with an average consumption of 21 kWh/100km.
The Volkswagen Golf is perhaps one of the most popular cars in the world. And the E-Golf is hoping to take this advantage right into the EV market. It has a familiar shape that has been tweaked slightly to give it a new look this year. It has all the practicality of the Golf we are used to but with the convenience of an EV.
It has a typical VW interior which is comfortable and practical at the same time. The EV gets partial leather and fabric seats and premium trim levels. You also get ambient lighting in the top-spec version, which looks really upmarket. It has enough space for four adults to sit comfortably. It comes with the same seat configuration as the ICE-powered model, which again is a good thing.
The E-Golf gets a massive touchscreen infotainment display with Android Auto built-in for convenient navigation and entertainment. Surprisingly, it also includes MirrorLink, which very few cars have.