Mowasalat shows the power of innovation

72V Battery Electric powered taxis and battery-powered public buses may soon ply the streets of Qatar, a first in the region, thanks to yet another initiative of the public transport company Mowasalat, Qatar sole public transport provider. Together with its research team and its science and development partner and exclusive manufacturer, Mowasalat has developed the first ever battery powered, air-conditioned city bus and electric powered taxis which the company said marks a major breakthrough in the transportation industry. Unveiling what Mowasalat termed as the world's first ever battery powered vehicles yesterday, the company Chairman Jassem Saif Al Sulaiti said: since the launch of the liquid petroleum gas (LPG) run taxis and soon LPG run buses, we are continuously putting all our efforts into technology advancements, facilitating services that offer ecological and economical benefit. Mowasalat launched its first first LPG run taxi in Doha in September last year, with Qatar becoming the first country in the GCC to use LPG as fuel in a bid to strengthen the country's efforts to reduce air pollution. with the challenges faced along the way, the long wait has now proved to be worth it," said Al Sulaiti at a news conference called to mark the occasion. The development of the first ever in the world of battery powered, air-conditioned city bus and electric powered taxis is yet another milestone for Mowasalat and Qatar. We aim to commercialise this technology and to offer it to the international market, he said. he are committed to our community and to the world therefore this project aims to operate our public transport. We fully realize our responsibility to protect the environment. Adhering to the environmental laws, regulations and standards we will help promote the wise use of energy. Al Sulait also said he hopes to attract other government bodies to join in the ambitious project and to be aware of the social commitment that Mowasalat had shown all along and will continue to extend. The electric-powered taxi, weighing 950 kgs, will have a carrying capacity of 350 kg and run on a 72v GEL battery at a maximum speed of 60 km per hour. It will be equipped with a taxi metre and CD player and FM radio. The battery-powered bus with seating capacity of 36 seats and 60 passengers will have a maximum speed of 70km per hour and cover a driving distance of 120km to 150 km.