EV Owners in the UAE Face Challenges like 'Range Anxiety' and Rushing to Malls for Car Charging

Numerous electric vehicle users in the UAE are expressing difficulties, with a particular focus on 'range anxiety.' Residents in apartments note the need to regularly visit malls to charge their electric vehicles.

In the UAE, residents are accustomed to hopping in their cars and traveling to different emirates, especially during cooler temperatures, without concerns about locating a gas station for quick refueling when necessary.

Certain electric car owners express concerns about the distance they can cover in their electric vehicles before needing to locate a charging station and subsequently enduring a prolonged charging session.

Calculate your kilometers before travel

Tahani Abdo Ahmed Alqadiri, a UAE citizen residing in Abu Dhabi who frequently travels to her parent's home in Al Ain, shared an incident where she had to stay put due to concerns that her Tesla might run out of charge.

She explained, "I often travel to Al Ain, but using my Tesla for the trip is almost unfeasible. On a specific occasion, I computed the distance and realized that I wouldn't have sufficient range to go anywhere else after reaching my parents' house and returning to Abu Dhabi. Consequently, on that day, I had to rely on a relative's car for local transportation within Al Ain."

She clarifies that Al Ain City has only one fast charger accessible, and the petrol station in the vicinity does not provide a certified charging alternative.

"If my trip involves going from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain and back, it's a smooth journey without any problems. However, if I want to explore and spend two days in Al Ain, it becomes challenging. The charging rate with the car's included portable charger is extremely slow, making it unreliable. It would take around 15-16 hours to completely charge the battery," she further explained.

She emphasizes that the only viable solution is to establish a charging station at her parents' home in Al Ain, mirroring the setup she has already implemented in her villa in Abu Dhabi.

"However, it is quite costly and not a feasible choice, to be frank. The expense was approximately Dh400,000 when I installed a charging station at my residence in Abu Dhabi. Consequently, I have opted to use a conventional car for my trips to their place," mentioned the Emirati, who serves as the Director of Emiratization and Academics at Burjeel Holdings.

Nevertheless, she firmly supports electric vehicles, citing their significant benefits.

"They offer substantial benefits and cost savings, requiring meticulous planning primarily for daily commutes between home and work, as they might not be suitable for extensive travel. Electric vehicles, especially within a 100km range, demonstrate both economic and environmentally friendly advantages. Notably, the Tesla model stands out as an exceptionally intelligent car," Tahani further explained.

In the meantime, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), leading the emirate's shift towards clean energy, has set a target to expand the city's public charging station network by 170% in under three years.

By the year 2025, the quantity of EV Green Charging Stations in Dubai is set to rise from the current 370 stations, featuring over 680 charging points, to reach a total of 1,000.

Living in an Apartment

Likewise, Shilpa Akula, a resident of Dubai who purchased a Tesla Model Y half a year ago, pointed out that although a Tesla is unquestionably eco-friendly, it presents a distinct set of challenges, particularly for individuals residing in apartments.

"If you reside in a villa, you have the option to set up your charger. However, for those living in apartments, individual meters might not be available. In the Greens community, two stations are serving the entire Greens and Views area, a sizable community. These function as public charging stations, but they are consistently occupied whenever I attempt to charge my vehicle," explained Shilpa Akula.

Shilpa usually charges her vehicle overnight, as it takes around four to five hours to complete the charging process using a standard charger.

In Dubai, there are eco-friendly parking spaces that offer these services in partnership with DEWA. Payments can be made either through DEWA billing or through community developments like Emaar, which is the method Shilpa utilizes.

"When using Dewa stations, payment is on a per-user basis and can be completed through the Dewa app. However, for community stations, the payment structure has not been finalized. We incur charges for the access card, but not for the actual usage. As a resident of Greens, Emaar provides a dedicated access card for the charger, and I have to pay Emaar for that card. When my car is fully charged, it can travel up to 400km," she elaborated.

Going to malls to use superchargers

When Shilpa is in a hurry and her car's battery is running low, she seeks out superchargers located in places such as the Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates (MOE), or Habtoor City, among a few other locations.

"I prefer the Mall of the Emirates (MOE) supercharger as it's the most convenient for me. It takes about half an hour to charge up to around 80%, and during this period, I usually stay in the car," she mentioned. Emphasizing that waiting is unavoidable at these superchargers, especially at shopping malls where taxis also utilize the facilities, she added, "Getting a slot is not guaranteed, and it contributes to the overall time. So, there's always this 'charge anxiety.'"

Shilpa recounted an incident when this procedure caused a delay in her journey back home. "After completing my work, I had to head to the nearest charging station. However, I had to wait for half an hour for my turn, then charge the car for another half an hour, and only after that, I could return from work. That night, I arrived home quite late," she explained.

What do non-Tesla EV drivers do?

Huda Al Hashmi, a UAE national who owns a Volkswagen ID.4 EV, discusses the challenges she encounters with charging her vehicle.

She mentioned, "Finding a charger in the UAE is more convenient for Tesla owners since charging stations are widely available in malls. Although my car is not a Tesla and is more affordable, it's a bit challenging for me to charge it. I'm unable to utilize Tesla chargers or superchargers that are accessible. Nevertheless, I have had a charging port installed at my villa. Despite these challenges, my car is efficient, and I no longer incur high fuel costs."

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