Electric car distributors expect demand to rise in coming years

AMMAN — Distribution agencies of electric cars expect demand for the new technology to gradually increase in Jordan over the next few years.

But the process “will take time” as the public is usually hesitant to adopt a “foreign” technology, similar to the period when hybrid cars were new in the country, they said.

In a bid to promote green vehicles, the government exempted electric cars from registration fees, customs duties and taxes, and also waived fees for charging devices of fully electric vehicles.

During the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa held on the shores of the Dead Sea in May this year, a memorandum of understanding was signed with manufacturers of electric cars — Tesla, BMW and Renault — to gradually adopt the use of electric vehicles in the public sector as an environment-friendly means of transport.

Over the past two months, Renault has provided the government with 200 Zoe electric cars for the use of senior officials, according to Issa Natsheh, marketing supervisor at Alkan International Motors (Renault’s sole dealer in Jordan).

Safety tests were carried out on various roads across the country, and each charge completes a 150-kilometre trip, he told The Jordan Times, adding that the charging duration varies according to the station.

The initial price of the car is between JD22,000 and JD25,000, Natsheh said, and the government is expected to offer incentives to encourage the spread of green vehicles as they save buyers and the state long-term expenses.

Due to the smaller number of vehicle parts, Zoe’s life expectancy exceeds that of fuel-powered cars, he explained, while the car’s battery operates for five to seven years, with the need for regular maintenance.

As the electric technology is already expensive, used electric cars may provide a more affordable option for a larger segment of Jordanian society, said Jamal Bustami, marketing and corporate communications manager at Nissan’s dealers Bustami and Saheb Trading Co.

He noted that the price of a Nissan Leaf, which is expected to enter the local market soon, will be over JD20,000, while used vehicles could cost JD15,000.

Currently, the government is testing a single vehicle, while several Leaf and NV200 vans are at Aqaba Port but have not reached the showroom in Amman yet, according to Bustami.

He said streets in Jordan are not a problem for electric cars, noting that charging stations need to be located at “bustling” areas to allow owners to charge their cars while running errands or doing daily activities to minimise waiting time.

Bustami said a quick charge takes 20 to 30 minutes and charges 75 per cent of the battery, while a full charge takes six hours. 

In addition, the car’s battery charges on downhill or uphill slopes according to the availability of sunlight.