Qatar reaches 70% e-vehicles for public transport by third quarter of 2023

The use of e-buses for public transport in Qatar is on par with the advanced countries in the world and has reached 70% by the third quarter of 2023, noted the Minister of Transport ( MoT) HE Jassim Saif Ahmed al-Sulaiti.
“We are reaching the numbers of advanced countries in the world in the use of e-buses. We are 70% now in the use of e-buses in public transportation ecosystem. We are very advanced in this area and by 2030 or even earlier, we will reach 100%,” Minister, al-Sulaiti told Gulf Times on Sunday.
Al-Sulaiti was speaking on the sidelines of the “Sustainable Transportation and Legacy for Generations” Conference and Exhibition, organised by the Ministry of Transport.
“We will implement it in the schools buses and other transport fields in Qatar. We are implementing the rules and regulations even for fuel. Now the fuel in Qatar is for Euro5 engine which is very clean energy and all new vehicles must follow this specification,” continued the minister.
Al-Sulaiti noted that MoT is focusing on the infrastructure too. “We make specifications and are testing the roads and then give the approval to Ashghal. We also have plans to extend the Metro Rail services to every area of the country leading to greater connectivity and a lot of infrastructure development,” he explained.
As for the EVs, the minister said that currently the electrical vehicle charging is free of cost. “Now when you fill your car with petrol you might be giving an estimate amount of QR150 or more for fuel. But when you charge an EV vehicle fully, it amounts to QR 12 and currently government of Qatar is paying it. So you can see the difference in the amount of money for fuel between an EV and other vehicle,” added the minister.
Al-Sulaiti inaugurated the MOT’s “Sustainable Transportation and Legacy for Generations” Conference and Exhibition, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, held under the patronage of HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Minister of Interior and Commander of Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Governor of Qatar Central Bank HE Sheikh Bandar bin Mohammed bin Saoud al-Thani, Minister of Municipality Dr Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie, Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim al-Thani, Minister of Communications and Information Technology HE Mohammed bin Ali al-Mannai, and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Minister al-Sulaiti said Qatar’s investments in developing the infrastructure projects and the transportation sector’s support services came in implementation of the directives of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and resulted in Qatar having an integrated, connected, and sustainable transit system, positioning the country high on world map of transportation industry, and enabling it to host major events efficiently.
At the event the minister also announced the launch of the Autonomous Vehicles Strategy, a plan over the coming five years to regulate the terms and conditions of using autonomous vehicles in Qatar to provide smart, and environmentally conscious transit systems.
The minister said MoT is currently working on studying the standards and specifications of EVs to approve the minimum technical specifications and safety standards , in addition to establishing a centre for inspecting EVs’ specifications conformity and issuing approval certificates.
On maritime transportation, Minister al-Sulaiti said the advanced infrastructure and technologies at Hamad Port contributed to transforming the port to a regional hub port expanding transportation network with over 100 ports worldwide. The minister also highlighted the development works at Al-Ruwais Port and Doha Port.
Al-Sulaiti highlighted the outcomes of the major efforts to develop the air transportation sector through establishing a modern system supported with modern services. He noted that during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, over 26,500 aircraft movements were recorded at both Hamad International Airport and Doha International Airport. He noted that the two S-band radar system and long-rang L-band radar have started operations. The minister added that the meteorology field also saw great progress with weather information stations currently reaching 48.
Following the opening session the dignitaries visited the stalls of the accompanying exhibition. There were three panel discussions on the first day of the conference. The conference and exhibition concludes today.