THE St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi has installed four Tesla Destination Charging connectors in a groundbreaking ‘green’ initiative.

Free to use, the facilities are available to all members of the public, residents and whether or not they are guests of the hotel.

“We are delighted to launch this charging station, which will enable us to serve the growing number of motorists who choose electric vehicles,” said Marwan Fadel, Hotel Manager of The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi.

“As a forward-thinking property, we always strive to reduce our environmental impact, and adopting the latest technology can help us achieve our goals,” said Fadel, adding that the hotel’s parent company, Abu Dhabi United Hospitality, is also instrumental of the scheme.

The resort’s underground car park has been equipped with 12 charging points – four Tesla charging stations and a further eight ‘universal’ ones, compatible with other brands. Drivers may enter the resort freely to use the facilities.

The move reflects a growing interest in electric vehicles (EV) in the UAE which has seen at least five major automotive firms enter the market within the past two years. Back in January, the Electric Vehicle Road Trip (EVRT), an industry initiative to promote sustainable transport, made its Emirati debut. The four-day event, organized by London-based company Global EVRT, saw 11 people drive EVs more than 700km across the country, traversing from one charging point to another and installing nine new ones en route. The addition of these facilities has opened a whole new stretch up to EV motorists.

The federal government is also promoting emission-free transport to both the public and private sectors. Last year, the UAE Supreme Council issued a directive calling for government institutions to ensure a tenth of all new vehicle purchases were electric or hybrid models. And this May, two banks signed agreements with the Ministry of Energy to offer auto finance at preferential rates to customers choosing such vehicles. Within the past two years alone, five major automotive firms – including Tesla have started selling electric or hybrid cars in the Emirates – indicating the trend looks set to grow. — SG