Dubai, Oct 6 (IANS/WAM): Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has become the first government organisation to use electric cars after it added eight of such vehicles to its fleet, the media reported on Tuesday.

DEWA aims to implement the Dubai Green Transport initiative and encourage the use of sustainable transportation with hybrid and electric vehicles, which will cut total carbon emissions in the city by 19 percent.

"The move supports the Smart Dubai initiative and the vision of Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world, and in line with the strategy to reduce carbon emissions in Dubai by 16 percent by 2021," DEWA chief Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said.

"We take pride in being the first government organisation to add high-performance electric cars to its fleet. This move supports Dubai's ambition to achieve a 10 percent increase in the total number hybrid and electric cars by 2030."

DEWA is setting up three types of charging stations. Fast-charging stations that take 20-40 minutes will be installed at petrol stations, medium-charging stations that take 2-4 hours will be installed in shopping malls, parks and offices, and home charging stations that take 6-8 hours to charge.