Green cars set for race

Pl a n s t h a t e n v i s a g e eco-friendly vehicles filling the roads across the Kingdom are in place, it emerged. Once implemented, the plan is expected to bring a paradigm shift in the Kingdom’s transport sector, said Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed Al Zayani yesterday.

Mr Al Zayani was speaking to Tribune on the sidelines of a conference opened yesterday under the theme ‘Innovation in Sustainable Mobility’ at the Bahrain International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“This conference is a first step towards developing the infrastructure to bring in electric cars while encouraging people to switch over to eco-friendly vehicles,” he said. The Cabinet had approved a plan to improve energy proficiency by six per cent by 2025 as part of efforts to reduce gas pollutants.

Mr Al Zayani said that the Kingdom and other Gulf countries are working towards adopting unified specifications so that electric cars would start occupying the Kingdom’s roads by 2022. “All ministries are working towards implementing the National Energy Efficiency Plan adopted by the Cabinet and electric vehicles have a pivotal role in it.”

There are three million electric cars worldwide and the United Nations has adopted an initiative, according to which electric vehicles will cover about 20 per cent of the urban transport sector by 2030.

Muna Al Alawi, Standards and Metrology Director at the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry, said the main aim of the conference is to create a platform that will provide an awareness on the significance of using eco-friendly vehicles. “For the successful implementation of this project, we want everyone aboard, be it the legislators, businessmen, car companies or government officials.