Did you know that owners of electric cars aka electric vehicles (EVs) don’t have to pay the Salik fee? RTA, in collaboration with DEWA, is also offering free public parking for EVs in various locations of Dubai. If this doesn’t make you want to switch to an electric car, we have more good news for you. Charging your EV at all the public charging stations in Dubai is free till the end of 2019. There are a 100 charging stations located throughout Dubai at the moment and this number is expected to double by the end of next year. Additional good news for electric car owners is that they get a discount on car registration and renewal.
Besides all the benefits to your pocket, driving an EV is more environmentally friendly than driving a fuel powered vehicle. This is why the Dubai government has a target of having 42,000 EVs on the roads of Dubai by 2030. ServiceMarket brings you a list of things to consider if you have your heart set on purchasing an electric car.
The range
The range (kilometers per charge) of the new electric cars is significantly higher than their predecessors, but it is still less than a conventional car. And till the number of charging stations in Dubai is as high as fuel stations, you might feel range anxiety when you head out in your EV. So remember to pick a model that has a range that suits your lifestyle. If you love regular road trips to destinations in the GCC, an EV may not be the right car for you. Another important point to remember is that EV batteries deplete faster in a hotter environment and we all know how hot Dubai can get.
Duration of charging
Electric car owners need to have patience because charging an EV takes up much more time than it takes to fill a fuel driven car. So unless you have garage space to charge your car overnight, you will have to sit at a public charging station every day for 30 to 45 minutes depending on the make and model you buy. Like cell phones, however, you don’t need to charge an electric car to a 100% before using it. If you don’t drive much, you might not even need to charge your car everyday.
The electricity bill
Electricity is relatively cheap in Dubai but having an EV will definitely raise your bill. You need to do your research on how much it will cost you to charge your preferred electric car every night and see if it fits your budget for utilities. If however, you don’t mind going to public charging stations, charging will be free for you at least till the end of 2019. The best thing about owning an electric vehicle, besides the noise-free driving and low maintenance costs, is that it costs way less to charge it than it does to refuel a conventional car. Usually, refueling costs three to four times more than charging an EV.
Pure electric or a hybrid
Not everyone is comfortable with the idea of relying on an electricity powered battery. If you think you will have significant range anxiety, perhaps you should consider a plug in hybrid instead of a pure electric model. Such a consideration is also true for people who don’t live in villas: you need a garage or off street parking with a power socket to charge your car.
Fast chargers
If you do have a place to charge your car at home, consider installing a fast charger. If you use a regular home socket, the charge rate depends on the power supply i.e. the grid connection you are plugged into. Fast chargers are industrial chargers that can charge most new EVs to 80 percent in 30-45 minutes.
If you want to explore the different makes and models, head on to the Tesla showroom in Dubai. Once you decide on the EV you want, remember to get car insurance quotes from the best car insurance companies in Dubai on ServiceMarket. It is always good to compare quotes before purchasing a policy from a car insurance company in Dubai.
