Does the creation of the first regional fleet of Tesla trucks point to a general speeding up of smart and sustainable mobility in the Middle East?
The GCC is home to over 51 million people – a figure that is predicted to reach 65 million by 2030.[1] This rapid increase in population will no doubt place greater strain on transport infrastructure that’s already under pressure. More immediately, women in Saudi Arabia will be finally be allowed to drive on the kingdom’s roads as of June 2018,[2] further impacting on the market growth of the region’s transport sector. With so many new drivers joining the roads it’s clear that big changes are in order.
During WFES 2018, Sharjah-based Bee’ah, the region’s fastest-growing environmental management company, announced that it would be buying 50 Tesla Semi heavy duty electric trucks to add to its 1000-strong fleet of waste collection and transportation vehicles.[3] At a base price of $180,000 per unit – compared to the $80,000 starting price for your more traditional Semi truck models – this order for 50 of Tesla’s emissions-saving trucks could be the necessary kickstart needed to prompt heavier investment in smart mobility solutions across the Middle East.
