Skip to main content

Ekar brings e-car-share service to Abu Dhabi

Ekar has joined forces with renewable energy company Masdar to launch an electric vehicle (EV) car-sharing service in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City.
November 14, 2019 Read time: 1 min

Yousef Baselaib, Masdar’s executive director of sustainable real estate, says: “The launch of this new service expands upon our existing portfolio of sustainable mobility solutions, which includes the personal rapid transit system and the 8379 Navya Autonom Shuttle.”

In July, Navya received approval from the Japanese government to operate autonomous vehicles (AVs) on open roads.

Ekar says drivers can use its app to rent a 8534 Tesla Model S or Model X for 64 fils (14p) per minute. Users can collect and return vehicles at a charging station in the city.

Vilhelm Hedberg, CEO of Ekar Middle East, says: “The carbon emissions footprint of an EV is half that of a fossil fuel-powered vehicle when the lifecycles of the vehicles are compared, and most electric cars in the market can be integrated with our car-share technology.”  

Ekar uses instant reservations and smart-access technology to provide a network of vehicles for rent in the United Arab Emirates. The service is available to people who have been driving for at least six months and visitors who submit a copy of their passport, visa page and foreign driver’s licence.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ST Engineering to develop ITS and AV technology in Israel
    November 5, 2018
    Singapore technology company ST Engineering intends to develop ITS and autonomous vehicle (AV) capabilities in Israel following an agreement with the municipality of Ashdod. The scope of the agreement includes ITS for roads and a fleet management system for buses.
  • Tampa Hillsborough Expressway seeks drivers for connected vehicle pilot
    November 15, 2017
    The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is recruiting volunteer drivers and pedestrians for the Tampa Connected Vehicle Pilot. The $21 million (£16 million) project aims to demonstrate the safety, mobility and environmental benefits of connected vehicle technology (CVP). THEA plans to equip 1,600 privately owned automobiles with this technology by mid-2018.
  • Dubai to trial digital vehicle number plates
    April 11, 2018
    Vehicles in Dubai will be fitted with digital number plates to inform emergency services of drivers involved in accidents – according to a report by the BBC. The cars will be equipped with smart plates with digital screens, GPS and transmitters for a trial starting next month. Sultan Abdullah al-Marzouqi, head of the vehicle licensing department at Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said that the plates will make life easier for drivers in Dubai. He added that the initiative will also work out
  • M2M and partner consortium developing infrastructure for electric vehicle charging
    October 24, 2012
    Telekom Austria Group M2M and its partner consortium is working to develop a complete infrastructure for the charging of Electric Vehicles (EVs) which includes navigation, billing and authorisation, load management and balancing, and reservations (including reservation with payment in order to stop charging point blocking).