ICE users may remember worrying about their engine with a loud and powerful sound, making sure that oil changes and checkups were always scheduled. This infatuation, once shared by all UAE car enthusiasts, is now argued to be on the way to becoming redundant since ev has hit the market.
That is due to the increase in ownership of the electric vehicle (EV). EVs do not require oil change, tuning and all other petrol head components in their vehicles. They just need a software update – which happens automatically.
The internal combustion engine (ICE) that got our cars from place A to B for over 100 years is on its way out. EVs are disrupting the car enthusiast’s culture. So what is it like to have an electric car in the UAE?
Mohammed Shamsi, a 23-year-old Emirati civil servant, bought his used 2018 Tesla Model S 75D last summer.
“This is the perfect city car for me,” he said.
Although his entry-level Model S has the smallest battery in the range, he says its size is enough – for city driving. “The 75D name is the battery size, the smallest in the Tesla Model S series and discontinued. It usually finds me a distance of 375 miles. I can drive from my home near City Walk to Uptown Mirdiff, back home, to the gym and back again. I usually have about 120 miles [200 km] after this”.
However, it is not suitable for long-distance driving throughout the Emirates. “I have to say, it is not reliable to have the round-trip of Abu Dhabi.”
Shamsi said the challenge was compounded by the lack of charging stations.
“Dubai has a lot of chargers. But there are not many in the emirates and several do not work. I would say 40 percent are not working properly. Abu Dhabi is progressing, but it is still worse in the North Emirates. As in Ajman, for example. “
And while EV owners will never run out of gas, being stranded in nowhere is still a real struggle.
“I had an incident last month. I was driving from Shakhbout in Abu Dhabi to Dubai and realized I had to recharge. My choice was to drive all the way to Masdar City, near the city of Abu Dhabi, or continue driving to Dubai to recharge at the Last Exit, past Ghantoot. ” The Last Exit is a highway stop on the Dubai side of the border with Abu Dhabi.
Shamsi chose the latter, but realized upon arriving that a faulty software update to his car would not allow him to charge with the chargers available at the station. He was lucky enough to get to the charging station down the road.
“I drove slowly, dimmed my lights, turned off my AC and was thankful I had reached the Jebel Ali DEWA charger.”
For Shamsi, good planning is essential when it comes to owning an electric car.
“I once tried a charger at Dubai Mall and realized it was a type 2 CCS, instead of the European style I was used to. So my car needed an adapter. “
Therefore, he has adopted a new tool since then.
“I now use an app called PlugShare. It is a great tool for the EV community. People upload their own reviews and updates on chargers. ”
When asked about his decision to own an electric car in the UAE, Shamsi said it was very good – but only if it is not your primary car.
“It can be difficult if it is the only car you have. You should plan your day carefully because there are not many chargers, or superchargers – I think at Masdar, Hatta and Dubai Mall; they are the only ones that can provide the fastest charging. A standard wall charger takes about 5 to 6 hours. ”
As for the community, unlike the enthusiastic groups that built certain types of vehicles, it is still the initial days of electric vehicles, said Shamsi.
“There is a growing EV community,” he said with a smile, “but no one is interested in joining clubs because these cars can be very selective. They are really boring cars to drive. ”
Buyers who may be buying electric cars will be happy to know, however, that they can now make their electric car more attractive in stores like Charged, which offers a custom combination of carbon fiber components, interior and home charging setups.
For Shamsi the savings from having an electric car makes it possible for him to enjoy his love of petrol sport cars. “With the money I saved, I was able to get a classic 90’s Nissan GTR 32 as my second car that I drive the most after work and on weekends.” But this can be changed if we had the option of electric sport cars and here comes Sulmi into play – A Dubai based automobile company – which is innovating a super sport electric vehicle.
Shamsi said the savings were due to the reduction of petrol to electricity. “I used to spend Dh2000 a month on petrol. Now I pay less than Dh200 on my electricity bill to charge my Tesla – and I charge daily.”
And that is not all. “Registration and parking is free in Dubai. DEWA Chargers were also free in Dubai till 2021.”
EVs also require minimal service. A typical ICE car may require, at least, an oil and oil filter change every 10,000km.
Ibrahim Al Hashemi, an Emirati resident of Dubai and owner of the Tesla Model 3 Performance, believes this makes EVs superior.
“EVs are definitely the best decision because there is almost no service,” said Al Hashemi. “Just tires, brakes and suspension. I have driven my car 20,000km but I still do not need to service. It does not even need fuel. It just needs electricity, which is very cheap. ”
This is a valid point, given the recent increase in fuel prices. March saw a third consecutive monthly increase, reaching Dh3.12 a liter from Dh2.82 in February. And when asked if the price of his EV – which is usually higher than ICE cars – is offset by this savings, Al Hashemi assured me that his EV was actually worth it. The Tesla model he drives starts with a price of Dh166,900.
“The price of the Model 3 is reasonable. It is wonderful and inexpensive. ”
As for Shamsi, he would prefer an ICE car if the cost was not the factor.
“EVs are good, but petrol cars are better and are more reliable for long routes. EVs are not the best option. ”
Al Hashemi, on the other hand, has not looked back since he got his Model 3.
“I would not go back to the ICE car, because EVs do not require regular service and fuel. I also think the UAE is a good place to have an EV and the only challenge is the lack of fast charging stations across the country. ”
