On Saturday, the UAE’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) started the trial run of two Volvo 7900 electric buses. The two buses will run in both directions between La Mer South, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Street and Al Sufouh Tram Station. The buses are equipped with novel opportunity charging technology, which means, they can be charged not only at the depot but also at charging stations throughout the network.

Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA, said “It concurs with the Dubai Government’s energy and carbon strategy aimed to make Dubai a model in the efficient use of energy and reduced carbon emissions. The success of deploying and operating electric buses and vehicles as part of RTA’s mass transit fleet hinges largely on the availability and reliability of the charging technology, and whether it supports the continuous operation of buses without stopping or having to return to the charging stations.”

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, said Dubai’s Green Mobility Initiative 2030 aims to stimulate the use of sustainable transit means and align them with the strategic goals of the emirate in terms of sustainability, air quality and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. “This particularly fits with the spread of green charging stations of DEWA, which now exceed 300 stations offering 530 charging points across Dubai,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.