The Peninsula
Doha: The State of Qatar announced that 25 percent of public transport buses will be electric by 2022.
Public buses, public-schools’ buses, and Doha Metro feeder buses will be gradually transformed into electric buses, in order to achieve the required percentage to reduce the rate of carbon emissions caused by traditional buses by 2030, in addition to achieving concerted efforts to preserve environmental sustainability.
This comes in the implementation of the electric vehicles strategy prepared by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications in cooperation with the concerned authorities, which is part of the ministry’s strategy to provide an integrated multi-modal transportation system on a global level that provides safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly services, in line with achieving the pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030 of social, economic and environmental development.
The electric buses will be used in the main services during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, to be the first tournament to use electric mass transit buses, clearly demonstrating the commitment of the State of Qatar to clean energy solutions for transportation in the world, and supporting the direction of hosting an exceptional world cup tournament that is environmentally friendly and “carbon neutral.”
As part of the strategic plans, the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA), in coordination with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, is working on establishing an integrated network of electric vehicle charging devices to support the Ministrys plan to gradually transform the electric transmission system. And operating about 30 electric chargers during the current year and about 100 chargers next year, in addition to that, the largest electric charging station in the region will be established in Lusail City, running on solar energy and linked with all stations.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is currently working with Mowasalat Corporation (Karwa) on a comprehensive plan to convert all taxis to electric-powered cars in the coming years. The company plans to purchase about 140 electric taxis this year, to be put into operation to service Hamad International Airport as a first stage. The Ministry has completed the preparation of standards and standard specifications for electric vehicles, and they have been approved by the Qatar Authority for Standardization and Standardization, and they will be circulated to the relevant authorities and specialists.
Also, 100 electric car parks will be constructed as a first stage, and work is underway to include the parking lots in the proposed tenders.
According to the strategy, this transformation will support the development of an infrastructure for an integrated and multimodal electric public transport system in the country, the first of its kind in the region, as a number of permanent warehouses will be established in multiple regions of the country distributed in a thoughtful geographical arrangement, containing facilities for parking, shipping and maintenance equipment. And administrative buildings and housing for employees and drivers, which will be completed in 2022, in addition to a number of major stations that also support electrical transport services.
