Bin Hindi: Electric cars will rise to 80% in the coming years in Bahrain

Hassan Al-Sitri

Vice Chairman and CEO of the Abdullah Ahmed Bin Hindi Group, Ahmed Bin Hindi, expected that the percentage of electric cars in Bahrain will gradually rise in the coming years to reach 80% over time, noting that there are no clear statistics for the number of electric cars in the Kingdom, but their number is estimated at less than 500 cars, at a time when demand for them has begun to increase. Bin Hindi explained that electric cars provide many advantages, most notably reducing energy consumption and emissions, contributing to improving the environment and air quality, in addition to lower noise levels compared to traditional cars, which reflects positively on public health and reduces future burdens on treatment budgets.

Bin Hindi called for adopting incentives that encourage the acquisition of electric cars, including reducing taxes and fees, similar to what is done in many countries of the world, indicating that the rise in gasoline prices makes electric cars an economical option in the long term, as the cost of consuming electricity is equivalent to about a third of the cost of traditional fuel.

He added that the prices of electric cars have witnessed a noticeable decline, as cars are available in the market at a price of approximately 8 thousand dinars, which is a relatively higher price than traditional cars that start from 4 to 5 thousand dinars, but the difference in purchase price is offset by a clear saving in operation and maintenance costs.

He explained that electric cars are distinguished by the small number of spare parts compared to traditional cars, as the number of their components is significantly reduced, and their malfunctions are usually fewer, and maintenance is often limited to usual consumable matters, which makes their maintenance cost lower.

Bin Hindi stressed that the shift to electric cars will not mean the disappearance of cars running on gasoline or diesel, as there will remain segments of users, especially in some sectors such as buses and trucks, that depend on traditional fuel, but he expected that the percentage of electric cars will gradually rise in the coming years to reach 80% over time, and may reach high levels with the continued development of infrastructure and the change in consumer culture.

He stressed that international experiences have proven that providing incentives and providing integrated infrastructure contribute to accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles.