Want to buy an electric car in Oman? Read this

Energy Tuesday 09/January/2018 15:30 PM
By: Times News Service
Want to buy an electric car in Oman? Read this

Muscat: Residents planning on buying an Electric Vehicle (EV) will soon know the rates they will be paying for charging their cars as the Authority for Electricity Regulation (AER) plans to bring in regulations by the third quarter of this year.
The regulations will also determine who will be eligible to sell electricity to the vehicles, what charging stations will look like and whether there will be a licensing procedure.
“Our aim is to facilitate the charging stations in Oman and making sure that this does not have a negative effect on the grid. We have seen EVs being adopted fairly quickly around the world and we do not want to be left behind. We want to make sure that all the infrastructure and regulations are in place for individuals wanting to buy them,” Qais Al Zakwani, Executive Director of AER said.
The move is part of AER's Forward Work Programme that includes a number of high priory areas of work. AER intends to carry out a review of international best practice in relation to the regulatory framework to support the introduction of EVs in Oman.
The study will also look into potential capital costs from development of public EV recharge stations, network, connection and safety issues, metering costs and the required license and code modification required in relation to distribution network operator responsibilities.
Oman's first charging station is expected to open in the next couple of weeks through a Global EVRT roadtrip which brings a convoy of 10 electric vehicles from the UAE to Oman. The vehicles will be charged at the IHG hotels in Oman before returning to the sustainable city in the UAE.
As the number of EVs in Oman are very few, these charging stations are likely to function independently with being regulated. However, Zakwani added that once regulations are out and if the study recommends licensing for charging stations, these stations will need to obtain the required permits to operate in Oman.