The UAE has a target of having 42,000 EVs on the streets by 2030 but this is not attainable unless fast-charging solutions that provide enhanced convenience and reduced emissions are implemented.
The country has launched several plans to aid EV adoption over recent years, one of the most notable being the Dubai government’s Green Charger initiative that provides public charging infrastructure for EVs.
By the end of 2022, there were 620 charging points across Dubai.
As the nation continues to incentivize electric transport, Powertech Mobility, a provider and system integrator of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure in the UAE, is eying further opportunities for electric fast-charging infrastructure on more high-rise buildings, highways, mid-mile delivery, and heavy-duty fleets, combining smart engineering, IoT and advanced technology. Key firms that Powertech Mobility has served include Al Tayer Motors, TotalEnergies, AGMC, and DPWORLD.
The firm has witnessed real estate developers and property management companies initiate the drive towards electrifying their car parks, resulting in collaborative partnerships with real estate companies to offer innovative charging solutions.
Similarly, the firm also supplied electric charging infrastructure for a pilot program of an electric fleet of trucks in the UAE.
“We have installed a public network of 180kW (kilowatt) charging stations, considered to be ultra-fast in Abu Dhabi alongside electrification of automotive dealerships with ultra-fast stations to maintain pace with the operations and logistics efficiency of an electric fleet,” Arthi Srinivasan, CEO, and Director of EV Charging Solutions at Powertech Mobility, recently announced.
In an exclusive interview with Economy Middle East, we asked Arthi more pertinent questions about the sector and the company’s future plan.
The EV market
Arthi says that up until now, the EV imports were led by EV market leader Tesla, however, new entrants into the UAE EV segment over the last year have changed the dynamics of the EV market and have brought in a versatile range of different EVs that a consumer can choose from.
Read: The Future of Electric Mobility in the UAE
“Largely driven by the premium and luxury segments, we are now seeing that the approach to EV has shifted beyond the novelty of owning an EV towards an intent to reduce carbon emissions on the roads. We will now witness competitive pricing of EVs as supply begins to meet demand with the launch of numerous electric vehicle models in 2022 and more entrants expected in 2023 and 2024,” Arthi told Economy Middle East.
Aligning fast-charging solutions with clean transport growth
Arthi said that Powertech Mobility has a footprint of over 400 EV charging stations. “We are now well equipped to provide the electrical infrastructure, the charging hardware, and the software that is an integral part of managing, monitoring, and monetizing the EV assets to our clients,” he added.
As far as how the real estate sector is helping in this drive to electrify their car parks, and the costs associated with developers creating space for and installing charging stations, Arthi went on to say that the real-estate segment is witnessing a surge in demand for EV charging points.
“This is because more residents prefer to own an EV over an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicle. For residential property, depending on the number of common parking slots and the availability of spare power, the cost to own and manage charging infrastructure can range anywhere as low as AED 4,000 up to AED 300,000,” Arthi revealed.
“This is highly dependent on the premise itself and the vision of the building management in providing a service that is designed to sustain a long-term view of providing this service to residents.”
Electric Trucks
In response to how the electric truck market progressed globally and in the UAE and how different in terms of size, cost, and charging speed are they different from EVs when it comes to charging solutions, Arthi said that Powertech Mobility has worked with some clients and fleet operators that are conducting pilots with a view to meet their CO2 emission reduction goals.
“But we are approaching this fleet transition strategically by ensuring the scalability of the charging infrastructure to meet their operational needs,” Arthi explained.
The future of EV charging stations
Is the traditional fuel-charging gas station transforming in the future? Is it commercially viable for an EV charging station to have similar features that a gas station offers, like a car wash, tire change, mini market, and so on?
According to Arthi, the traditional fuel-charging gas station will continue to remain relevant while the EV charging stations or hubs are set to emerge with similar models as the gas station.
“We mean the forecourt convenience store, cafés, work-stations, and quick-service restaurants may feature as anchor points for drivers to wait it out while the EVs are charging.”
Arthi said that Powertech Mobility continues to accelerate its growth at double-digits as the demand for electrification of car parks increases with the launch of numerous EVs into the UAE market.
She said Powertech serves various EV manufacturers, residential developers, automotive dealerships, and government institutions that are looking to provide EV charging services for employees and visitors.
“We have also expanded our team to include professionals with Health & Safety qualifications, electrical engineers in addition to optimizing the knowledge of our core EV service team through manufacturer-ed training programs for troubleshooting and servicing heavy-duty EV Charging stations,” Arthi concluded.
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