Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has unveiled a plan to convert 50 per cent of Dubai taxicabs to hybrid vehicles by 2021, according to a report by Emirates 24/7 News.

The plan calls for increasing the fleet of hybrid taxicabs in Dubai from 147 in 2015 to 791 taxicabs by 2016, 1,582 taxicabs by 2017, 2,375 taxicabs by 2018, 3167 taxicabs by 2019, 3,959 taxicabs by 2020, and to further increase the number to 4,750 hybrid taxicabs by 2021, according to the report.

Results of the trial operation of hybrid taxis conducted by Dubai Taxi Corporation since 2008 indicated that they offer an environmental solution for reducing carbon emissions by 34 percent, slashing fuel consumption by 33 percent, and cutting maintenance costs due to the low mechanical faults, and curbing noise levels, according to the report.