EV Lab, a Dubai-based electric vehicle platform, has partnered with Silicon Valley’s Drako Motors to present a preview of the limited-production Drako Dragon electric supercar at Expo 2020.
It will be the first time the vehicle will be shown in the Middle East before its official launch in early 2022.
The Dragon’s private debut will be open to an exclusive clientele of EV Lab, which has worked with various organisations to promote sustainable transport.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Drako Motors to debut their new flagship vehicle in the Middle East ahead of any other market during Expo 2020 – further strengthening our commitment to supporting the recent announcement by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to net-zero emissions by 2050,” Kevin Chalhoub, founder and chief executive of EV Lab, said in a statement on Wednesday.
EV makers have been accelerating the pace of investment and production, with global electric car stock hitting the 10 million mark, a 43 per cent increase over 2019, according to the International Energy Agency.
The global EV market was valued at $162.34 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $802.81bn by 2027 at a compound annual growth rate of 22.6 per cent, according to Allied Market Research. And despite supply constraints because of the pandemic, sales surged 160 per cent to 2.6 million in the first half of 2021 compared with the same period last year, according to technology analysis firm Canalys.
EVs play an important part in meeting global goals on climate change, because they are responsible for far lower emissions over their lifetime than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, according to climate change news website Carbon Brief.
The UAE is also a hotspot for luxury vehicles. The country ranked fifth on a list of the world’s most supercar-smitten countries on social media, according to motoring website Chasing Cars.
The Dragon features a quad motor powertrain that offers a substantial increase in torque and its inverters have been upgraded to handle the additional load. Its battery comes with new cell technology for better power, range and longevity, as well as an upgraded cooling system.
We’re delighted to be partnering with Drako Motors to debut their new flagship vehicle in the Middle East ahead of any other market during Expo 2020 - further strengthening our commitment to supporting the recent announcement by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai to net-zero emissions by 2050
Kevin Chalhoub,
founder and chief executive of EV Lab
EV Lab and Drako will release more details as the official launch draws near for the Dragon, which Mr Chalhoub described as the “most powerful GT car ever made”.
“With the new Drako Dragon as the flagship vehicle in EV Lab’s fully electric line-up, we’re excited to introduce supercar enthusiasts to an entirely new paradigm of driving performance,” said Dean Drako, president, co-founder and chief executive of Drako Motors.
EV Lab is focused on the transition to sustainable mobility by leveraging the benefits that EVs provide to air quality, the overall environment and diversified economic growth.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (Turf) 1,400m. Winner: Al Ajeeb W’Rsan, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Jaci Wickham (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m racing. Winner: Mujeeb, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 90,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Onward, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown Prep Rated Conditions (PA) Dh 125,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: AF Arrab, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 90,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Irish Freedom, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
Indoor Cricket World Cup
Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
