Qatar to develop a state-of-the-art transport network keeping up with global trends

By encouraging innovation and staying abreast of developments in the global transport industry, Qatar is continuing to strive towards the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030 by building a cutting-edge transport network. The Ministry of Transport's (MoT) Chief of Land Transport Systems and Policies Department, Najla Al Jaber, discussed the ministry's goals and initiatives to assist the nation's electric vehicle (EV) transition strategy in an interview with Qatar TV.

The government is also carrying out a substantial research in order to create regulations that promote the purchase and usage of electric vehicles. This endeavour is a component of the initiative's plans and strategies for the electric mobility strategy. For instance, she said, the electric transportation strategy complements MoT's extensive effort to reduce carbon emissions. Moreover, there is a method where electric mobility plays a major role in reducing the negative effects of travel on the environment and public health.

The ministry's aim to switch to electric cars adheres to certain guidelines. According to her, it supports the idea that using electric cars may help achieve a balance between the environment and the economy and that creating a standard system can help increase the range of applications for them. 

Al Jaber stated that, in collaboration with the appropriate authorities, the ministry is also interested in researching the creation of norms about the electric vehicle sector and the batteries that power it. It seeks to improve the environmental performance of electric vehicles by giving consumers a variety of options. By doing so, it hopes to bolster the economy by offering supportive services and extending insurance coverage for electric vehicles and other aspects of the modern industry's entry into the market.

In the first quarter of 2024, the proportion of electrified public buses in Qatar reached 73 percent, and the strategy is on pace to achieve a fleet of 100 percent electric public buses by 2030. 

According to the Qatar National Environment and Climate Change Strategy, the project aspires to rank Qatar among the top nations in terms of attaining zero emission transition in transportation.

The ministry also outlined its plan, which is backed by the Public Bus Infrastructure Programme, to gradually and fully electrify all public buses by the year 2030, with a goal of 100%.