Dubai RTA to phase out petrol-only taxis from its fleet by 2027

All taxis will be hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered by 2027, RTA chief says

Two Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles have joined emirate's public transport fleet under a partnership with US firm Cruise. All photos by RTA

The vehicles will help create a digital road map for the autonomous fleet.

A limited number of the self-driving taxis will be deployed in 2023.

Dubai aims for 25 per cent of all transport journeys to be made autonomously by 2020.

A plan has been launched to make Dubai’s taxi fleet completely eco-friendly by 2027.

The new scheme from the emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will mean all taxis are hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered by the end of the five-year plan.

More than 70 per cent of taxis in Dubai already fall under that category and transport chiefs say 100 per cent will be by the end of 2027.

“The five-year plan, from 2023-2027, aims to switch the entire taxi fleet into fully environmentally-friendly [vehicles] within five years to achieve the targeted 100 per cent by 2027,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the RTA.

“The plan is aligned with the RTA’s road map for transforming public transport means into emission-free by 2050.”

Mr Al Tayer said Dubai RTA's trials over a 15-year period found that eco-friendly taxis are more fuel-efficient and cost-effective.

“The results of experiments on eco-friendly vehicles, which the RTA started trialling in 2008, confirmed the environmental benefits of reducing carbon emissions, fuel consumption and maintenance costs, as well as decreasing noise levels,” he said.

“Hybrid vehicles also have a longer lifespan compared to regular vehicles and cost less in the long run.

“They are characterised by lower purchase prices, maintenance fees, fuel expenses, insurance premiums, and other associated costs that potentially could be as low as 50 per cent of regular vehicles.”

There were just under 11,380 taxis on Dubai’s roads at the end of 2022, with 8,220 being eco-friendly.

According to figures released by the RTA, Dubai taxis made 105 million trips last year, covering a total of more than two billion kilometres.