There is no doubt that the increase in the price of gasoline weighed heavily on the shoulders of the Lebanese, so that the Ukrainian war came and the situation worsened with the global oil prices soaring. There were only two options for car owners in Lebanon: either to sell the vehicle and replace it with a less expensive one, or to turn towards the electric cars that invaded the market. Especially since it is environmentally friendly and therefore does not incur high maintenance costs or gasoline.
According to a study prepared by Information International, it was found that with the price of a petrol plate reaching more than 748 thousand pounds and the exchange rate of the dollar reaching the level of 40 thousand pounds, the cost of transportation has increased to an extent that the majority of the Lebanese may not bear, as the cost of one kilometer has become 6,211 pounds when using a private car. Its average consumption is 170 km / 20 liters of petrol. The more the car’s consumption increases, and its model becomes obsolete and requires permanent maintenance, the higher this cost, and the more modern its model, the lower the amount of gasoline consumption.
In previous reports, statistics revealed that despite the economic crisis the country is going through, it recorded an increase in the registration of new cars during the months of January-February 2022, as the number reached 762 cars compared to 62 cars during the same period last year, and the main reason for this increase is Accelerate the acquisition of cars before their prices rise in the event that the customs dollar is raised. Despite this increase in the sale of cars this year, it remains lower than the numbers sold in the years before the crisis, as it amounted to about 4,800 cars.
Demand for electric cars
The electric car market is witnessing a high demand by the Lebanese today, who rushed to buy these small environmentally friendly vehicles, while the figures indicate an increase in demand for them by about 47.8 percent during the current year, and it is expected that the demand for them will increase even more by the year 2030. . Relevant sources told Al-Modon that “Japanese car companies have drawn up a plan aimed at selling more than 1,000 electric cars equipped in Lebanon at competitive prices with ordinary cars, with the possibility of installments over a period of 5 years, in a move that would ease the citizen’s burdens and give him a unique experience of luxury without To preoccupy him with the costs of “the trip”, the interruption of gasoline, and other things that we have experienced during the past two years and were the main motive in the unprecedented transformation that the car market in Lebanon has witnessed recently.
In a related context, the head of the sales department in a company that imports electric vehicles indicates that “the price of these cars starts at approximately $20,000, whereby the buyer can replace his old vehicle with another of his choice with the possibility of installments or payment through a bank check according to the black market exchange rate.” “.
Duty free but…
In his interview with Al-Modon, the source revealed that “electric cars are exempt from customs duties, but there is no exclusive agency for a specific company to import them in order to prevent monopoly and control over the customer. But what is happening today is the exact opposite, as the owners of regular exhibitions are the ones who import these cars and price them according to their desire, which created competition.” Large, knowing that most of these vehicles do not meet the necessary conditions and therefore are unfit for driving or break down after a short period, so the customer comes to us to fix it with us, but unfortunately things are not done in this way, as we only recognize and guarantee the car that we sell directly to the customer through one of our branches only.
How do electric cars charge?
A question that arises today in the world of cars, how can a customer charge his car in light of the power outages and the high cost of generators? The source answers, confirming that the electric car battery does not require more than 10 amps for refilling or even on solar energy, and the recharging time ranges between half an hour and about 15 continuous hours as a maximum, depending on the capacity of the battery, and the driver can recharge through any gas station such as “Hipco”. For example, the one that has installed the “Fast Charger” specifically for this purpose, or simply can carry the charging cable with it, like a “charger” for a smartphone.
According to experts, electric cars can travel between 350 and 800 km, and like a regular car, they spend more energy when going uphill, but they compensate for it downhill through the intelligent braking and storage system.
What about the prices of electric car parts?
There is no doubt that the entry of any car into the garage today constitutes a crisis amid the soaring prices of parts, if any, of course. In this context, the source who wants to buy an electric car is reassured that it needs less periodic inspection than a regular car.
The head of the sales department provides us with some tips that will preserve the life of the electric car, as he recommends keeping the battery charge level at 20 to 80 percent, as filling the full battery frequently leads to its deterioration, and it should not be exposed to excessive heat or parked for hours long under the sun.
Environmentally, the phenomenon of adopting electric cars bodes well in terms of reducing polluting emissions, while experts believe that by the year 2035, owning an electric car will no longer be an option, but rather will be an inevitable reality. How ready is Lebanon to adapt to this global development?