In a recent and bold announcement Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Mattar Al Tayer with collaboration with Al Futtaim Motors took the initiative to take global warming seriously, by launching a city-wide trial run of the electric hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle, Toyota Mirai, as part of the Dubai taxi fleet.
While making this announcement, Al Tayer said, “RTA will start a trial run of the vehicle as part of its limousine service in the Dubai International Airport to assess the economic feasibility and environmental benefits of its operation besides verifying the efficiency of the engine, maintenance cost, and other parameters,” he also said, “RTA attaches paramount importance to protecting the environment and saving power consumption, and Safety and Environmental Sustainability is a strategic goal of RTA. This experiment is in line with the nation-wide initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in 2012 themed: ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development.’ It also resonates the energy and low carbon strategy of the Dubai Government aimed at making Dubai a role model in the efficient power consumption, and low carbon emission. It is also in the context of RTA’s compliance with the master plan for reducing carbon emissions of taxis by 2% as stipulated by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and the Green Economy drive,”
Looking at the facts, this emission-free Toyota Mirai is powered by hydrogen, which generates electricity inside the engine after being mixed with oxygen supplied through the grill intake at the front of the vehicle. Toyota Mirai does have a lot of good impact in near future for Dubai, it will have zero emissions except for water, it is noiseless, can travel up to 500km on a full tank, and most importantly refilling it doesn’t take more than five minutes.
The official partner in this program Al-Futtaim Motors’ managing director, Saud Abbasi said, “The addition of Toyota Mirai to the Dubai Taxi fleet is part of the strategic partnership between the two parties. It is also in the context of Al Futtaim Motors’ efforts to realize the UAE 2021 Vision and encourage the use of hydrogen as a replacement of fossil fuel. Delivering the first hydrogen vehicle to the Dubai Taxi Corporation is a prelude of spreading hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the UAE. Al Futtaim Motors is working with its partners to establish a series of Hydrogen Refilling Stations in support of this technology. Last October, Al Futtaim Motors, in collaboration with Air Liquide, has opened the first hydrogen refilling station in the UAE at the Dubai Festival City. The opening of the station will facilitate the use of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at a larger scale.”
Well, there’s a bright and pollution free future ahead for Dubai and Dubaians!
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