Arabia Taxi expands Toyota Camry Hybrid fleet for greener Dubai operations

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, September 28, 2015: Al-Futtaim Motors, exclusive distributor of Toyota in the UAE, today announced the handover of the first 50 Toyota Camry Hybrid to Arabia Taxi, a franchisee of RTA Dubai and member of Arabia Holdings Group of companies.

The agreement was signed by Saud Abbasi, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Motors, and Mr. P.S.M Habibullah, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Arabia Holdings, at the launch ceremony that was attended by Dr. Yousef Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer, Public Transport Agency at Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and a number of senior officials from both organizations.

“Our relationship with Arabia Taxi spans over a decade, with more than 98% of their fleet now consisting of Toyota vehicles. The addition of Camry Hybrid vehicles to their fleet will ensure that Arabia Taxi futureproofs their transport solutions, while increasing reliance on renewable resources in their efforts to create a greener environment,” said Saud Abbasi.

Mr. P.S.M Habibullah, confirmed the alignment of Arabia Taxi’s vision with RTA’s to contribute to a greener environment, and explained how the new vehicles will support this vision while at the same time, helping the company provide better services to its customers.

“In addition to supporting government initiatives aiming at reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to a greener environment, we expect some serious cost savings resulting from lower fuel consumption and maintenance charges. It is a very positive cycle that will allow us to deliver better results to our customers while meeting our green agenda,” Habibullah confirmed.

Dr. Yousef Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer, Public Transport Agency at Roads and Transport Authority., said: “The RTA has been working closely with Al-Futtaim Motors for half a decade to explore the feasibility of a Hybrid Taxi fleet powered by Toyota vehicles, in line with the Dubai Vision 2021 initiative of reducing pollution from transport. The pilot study was successfully completed, and we are pleased to welcome on-board Arabia Taxi who have added 50 Toyota Hybrid Camry vehicles to their fleet, working closely with us to meet a sustainable transport future as part of our Dubai 2021 strategy.”

Arabia Taxi joins a number of operators and government institutions that have chosen the Toyota Camry Hybrid to be an integral part of their fleet in an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and as part of the plan for a more sustainable UAE.

Camry Hybrid offers expansive savings on maintenance costs when compared to traditional fuel-powered vehicles, as it enjoys a lower total cost of ownership thanks to a great reduction in fuel consumption, wear and tear and decreased service requirements.

Globally, cumulative Toyota hybrid vehicles sales have surpassed 8 million, resulting in approximately 58 million fewer tons of CO2 emissions—believed to be a cause of global warming—than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance. Toyota also estimates that its hybrid vehicles have saved approximately 22 million kiloliters of petrol, enough to fill 8,800 Olympic swimming pools, compared to the amount used by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar sizes.

Hybrid remains Toyota's core technology in its development of alternative powertrains. Recent developments include the release of Mirai - the world's first production hydrogen fuel-cell sedan - in Japan, the US and Europe.