Eco-friendly cars ‘help save money’
An electric car fully charged at a maximum cost of 500 fils can cover a distance of 160 kilometres with the AC on, leading to huge savings, according to an expert.
Such a vehicle will also be able to continue running for three days without needing to be recharged, said Saeed Al Nooh Group chief executive and chairman Saeed Hameed Al Nooh.
He was speaking at the Mobility 360 Innovation in Sustainable Mobility Conference, held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Sanabis.
The two-day conference, which concluded yesterday under the patronage of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed Alzayani, featured a series of talks and panel discussions along with an exhibition showcasing hybrid vehicles.
Mr Al Nooh said that usually, on an average, it costs around BD1 a day to drive around Bahrain but with an electric car the cost goes down to 500 fils for three days.
“When you look at it economically, for example, the car that we have is a fully electric car from Italy which you can charge at home with the help of a normal socket; you don’t need a charging station.
“It takes six to eight hours to charge, the full cost of which is 300 fils to 500 fils and it will give you 160km with the AC on which is enough for three days without charging,” he said.
“Electric cars are more economical than fuel cars and they are emissions-free, so they are better for the environment.
“Every day the environment is affected by pollution so the hybrid and electrical cars will help reduce the impact on the ozone layer.”
Alternatives to conventional fuel-powered cars were showcased at the event which also featured discussions that covered green mobility strategies and how to create an infrastructure for electric vehicles.
Another option to conventional fuel-powered cars is a hybrid vehicle which uses both petrol and electric technology.
“It uses artificial intelligence to make sure that the maximum output is realised using the petrol engine and the electric motor,” said Ebrahim K Kanoo senior Toyota marketing manager Ayman Shehadeh.
“The good thing about hybrid electric technology is that you don’t need to recharge the car with an electric power source.
“You don’t have to worry about the distance you are driving because you don’t run out of charge.
“However, an issue with a fully electric car is that in certain geographical areas if you have 20 or 30 electric cars it may cause some voltage issues with the electricity grid.”
The GDN reported yesterday that Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr Abdulhussain Mirza said plans for a station to charge electric cars would be announced soon. Officials from the Sustainable Energy Unit also took part in panel discussions during the event, which concluded with talks on transforming Bahrain into a ‘Smart Nation’, parking requirements for the future, and transitioning into greener technologies.
The conference was organised by the ministry through Messe Frankfurt Middle East, a leading trade show organiser, and in partnership with the Gulf Standardisation Organisation.
Source: http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/389594/VIDEO-Eco-friendly-cars-%E2%80%98help-save-money%E2%80%99
