Government | Sunday 26 February, 2017 8:12 am |

• Golf GTE models will remain with the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority for use by Engineering Management and Smart City team
• Join a growing fleet of hybrid and electric models in the region

Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), the regulatory body for Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated free zone technology park, has today received two Golf GTE plug-in hybrid models from Al Nabooda Automobiles, the official distributor of Volkswagen in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. This step comes following a year-long hot weather test in the United Arab Emirates by the Dubai Municipality.

Eng. Muammar Al Katheeri, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Smart City at DSOA received the cars keys from Thierry Seys, ‎General Manager at Al Nabooda Automobiles at an event held at DSOA headquarters and attended by senior officials from both organisations. The two Golf GTE models are part of a fleet of 10 that completed over 100,000 km in the United Arab Emirates through the super-hot summer months of 2016. The two handed over Golf GTE will now join a growing fleet of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles at the high-tech park.

Thierry Seys, ‎General Manager at Al Nabooda Automobiles: “Partnering with Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority is only the logical step when it comes to testing the Golf GTE. Dubai is the benchmark of innovation, and any technological application here, shows a ripple effect throughout the region. We want to make a difference in the region to show our commitment to the people, and DSOA is pioneering the industry in their testing of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. We see a huge opportunity in this market and foresee demand from consumers in the future for electric mobility solutions. We believe in Dubai’s 2020 vision and our partnership with DSOA is the ideal synergy to take it forward.”

Engineer Muammar Al Katheeri, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Smart City at DSOA, said: “Our partnership with Volkswagen began with the community safety-focused Human Crossing initiative in 2016. We are proud of this second step that reinforces ties between our two organizations. We appreciate the company’s efforts in supporting DSO as a proof of concept for smart city solutions, ultimately contributing to realizing the vision of our wise leadership to make Dubai the happiest and smartest city in the world.”

He added: “We are also keen at DSOA to support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 that promotes energy efficiency. In line with the objective of transforming Dubai into the city with the smallest carbon footprint in the world by 2050, we are allocating the hybrid vehicles for use by Engineering Management and Smart City team within DSO.”

The Golf GTE is the first Volkswagen plug-in hybrid to explore everyday use in the United Arab Emirates. Collaborating with the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority and the Dubai Municipality in working towards Dubai’s strategic vision for a sustainable future is a significant milestone for Volkswagen in the Middle East.