UAE officials consider ‘polluter pays’ policy for motorists

The “polluter pays” policy and other schemes, such as reduced or free parking for owners of environmentally-friendly vehicles, are among the plans being discussed at federal and emirate levels to reduce pollution and promote green cars.

Electric cars on display during the launch of electric car charging station at DEWA headquarters in Garhoud in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

DUBAI // Owners of cars with higher emission levels will pay more to register them under changes being considered to push motorists towards fuel-efficient vehicles.

The “polluter pays” policy and other schemes, such as reduced or free parking for owners of environmentally friendly vehicles, are among plans being discussed to reduce pollution and promote green cars.

Registration fees could be raised for those who chose cars with high emissions, said Fahad Hareb, director of air quality at the Ministry of Environment and Water.

“It is something we are looking at with the Ministry of Interior, asking if they can do something with the registration fees,” Mr Hareb said. Registering a small, fuel-efficient car costs about Dh400 to Dh450 – the same as a high-performance pickup truck.

Another side to the strategy is encouraging people to move to electric cars. Abdulla Al Maeeni, director general of Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology, said regulations for electric car standards would come into effect by the end of the year, and that a draft version was available for public comment on the authority’s website.

“We are working to develop a strategy to promote alternative fuel. Once we have a regulation, we create a market for manufacturers. The main thing is we want to promote the technology so consumers are aware.”

The rules cover standards, safety and performance requirements of batteries, which are of particular concern in the hotter climate.

Figures are not available on the number of hybrid and electric vehicle users in the UAE. Toyota supplies hybrid vehicles to taxi fleet operators including Dubai Taxi Corporation and Cars Taxi.

Car makers BMW, Lexus and Nissan have hybrid models available here, and fully electric cars are being tested.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has previously announced plans for about 100 charging stations by the end of the year.

Mr Hareb said the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology’s rating system for refrigerators and washing machines could be adapted to identify green cars. Manufacturers would be asked to put stickers on cars spelling out operating costs and fuel efficiency.

A vehicle with a grade of F, for instance, may cost more or have a higher annual registration fee.

The cost could be about Dh2,000 more a vehicle, he said, and would apply to privately owned cars.

“Of course people will complain that the price of this is going up but at the end of the day, you need to think more about the environment,” Mr Hareb said.

“Why should I go out and buy a big, heavy pickup truck if I’m just using it to drive to university or work, when there are other options that will pollute the environment less?”

No timeframe has been decided yet, as regulations for electric cars and policies for identifying eco-friendly vehicles have yet to be completed, he said.

There are about 2.2 million vehicles on UAE roads and about 350,000 were sold in the country last year, a recent study showed.

The UAE is planning to follow policies that are similar to those in place in the European Union and United States, where it costs more to register high-performance vehicles.

Mr Hareb was speaking on Sunday at the Future Mobility conference in Dubai, hosted by Esma, which ends on Monday.

Government authorities, regulators and car makers are attending the conference, which is aimed at promoting eco-friendly transport in the Arabian Gulf region.