General Motors Africa and Middle East and Diamond Developers, the property and real estate developer behind The Sustainable City in Dubai, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to further the education and adoption of electric vehicles across the emirate.

The signing of the MoU, which is effective until 2020, marks the beginning of a collaborative partnership between both parties as they work to fulfil the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to promote sustainable development, said a statement.

With a focus on education, the collaboration allows General Motors Africa and Middle East and The Sustainable City to offer electric vehicle (EV) familiarisation programmes for residents and as part of the curriculum in the Future Mobility module at the SEE Institute, to help democratise EV adoption.

As part of the MoU, the partners are currently exploring an EV ride-sharing service for The Sustainable City’s residents, facilitated by a fleet of Chevrolet Bolt EVs, the first fully electric car from Chevrolet available in the region.

John Roth, president and managing director of General Motors Africa and Middle East, said: “The Sustainable City, as an international model for green living, is strongly aligned with our vision for a future of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion so this is a natural partnership for us.”

“As our company works across the future trends of transportation with autonomous vehicles, alternative propulsion and connected and sharing driving, we know that achieving this vision requires close collaboration and alignment with cities, governments and countries around the world,” he said.

“Beginning right here in the UAE, where bold leadership is already addressing the mobility needs of tomorrow, we knew it was the right time to engage around electric vehicles, launching our Chevrolet Bolt EV, which is a practical and sustainable transport solution offering an unprecedented range of up to 520 km on a single charge. The next step for us is to demystify electric vehicles and this collaboration is a strong platform to tackle this,” he added.

Wassim Adlouni, vice president and board member of Diamond Developers the property and real estate developer behind The Sustainable City, said: “As the Middle East's first fully operational sustainable community, The Sustainable City has set a strong benchmark in promoting sustainable living, in which environment-friendly mobility solutions play a central role.”

“We have been promoting electric cars in our community, which will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We will work with like-minded partners in achieving the green vision of the nation outlined in the UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021,” he added.

This strategic partnership solidifies both parties position as leaders in Dubai’s move to a more sustainable future, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service