Taxis
Toyota has been supplying hybrid Camry models for use as taxis in Dubai for some time, and currently there are about 300 of them cruising the streets. This is commonplace in other parts of the Middle East, for instance in Jordan and Lebanon, which don’t have the same levels of oil supply we enjoy, and is backed by high-level government initiatives in attempts to improve air quality in their cities. The fact that here, in our own back yard, similar movements are gathering pace, is the first outward display of intent to encourage less dependency on fossil fuels.
Luxury models
Lexus has shown dogged determination in marketing its hybrids here for a few years now, with varying degrees of success. The company won’t confirm how many it sells here, but there’s never been any secret about the positioning of the three hybrids it offers as being the range toppers, in the hope that owners will buy into them in the knowledge that they’re getting the most up-to-date technology in their cars. At the moment, the range consists of the RX H crossover, the mid-size GS H and the LS H – all of them perfectly capable, and all of them more expensive than their normal, petrol-powered equivalents.
Toyota will be hoping that, as there’s no alternative version of the Prius, it will break new ground in the more affordable end of the market.
Porsche, BMW, Infiniti and a small handful of others make available a selection of their hybrid models, but sales are slow. Having said that, BMW’s brilliant i8 supercar (pictured) sells on its looks alone – there’s nothing else out there quite like it.
Hypercars
We’re awash with expensive and exotic automobiles in the UAE, but even some of these are bringing to the fore new, clean technologies. Ferrari’s LaFerrari (pictured), McLaren’s P1 and Porsche’s 918 Spyder – all of them can claim to be hybrids, but the Italian differs by not being able to be driven in all-electric mode. Instead, it uses stored battery power to boost performance and efficiency, in much the same way as Ferrari’s F1 cars do. And while none of the trio could stake a claim at being particularly planet-friendly, they have all served as vital test beds for new technology that will make its way into future models made by their respective companies.
