Low-emission vehicles
Initiative description: Deploying low-emission vehicles during the tournament, including the tournament operations fleet and host country buses, leaving a legacy of a low-emission modern fleet with long-term uses and adequate servicing infrastructure in Qatar.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ did not only showcase the largest deployment of low emission, eco-friendly vehicles in the tournament’s history, it also played an integral role in fast-tracking the host country’s transport-related sustainability goals. A fleet of 321 low emission vehicles provided by sponsors Hyundai and KIA were used for tournament operations. A substantial proportion of Qatar’s public bus fleet now comprises low-emission electric buses. The country has constructed large-scale bus depots dedicated to electric buses, including Lusail Bus Depot – one of the largest electric bus depots in the world. Qatar is also fast expanding its network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country.
Public transport buses and depots
To reduce vehicle emissions and provide an integrated, multimodal eco-friendly transport system, an electric bus system was introduced to serve spectators at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. This shift in technology will also deliver long-lasting clean transport for the country, reducing greenhouse gases and local air pollution.
Key developments included the following:
Around 900 public buses, approximately 25% of the total used during the tournament were electric.
The remainder of public buses were diesel fuelled with a Euro 5 emissions standard, which emit much less pollution than non-Euro certified vehicles.
90 new electric minibuses were deployed to facilitate transport to and from metro and bus stations.
After the tournament, these new buses will replace existing ones that are being phased out, to ensure a legacy of increasingly eco-friendly transport and prevent an oversupply of vehicles in the country. The government of Qatar also made plans for the establishment of an electric bus factory in Qatar’s free trade zone to support local manufacturing and the country’s transformation to eco-friendly vehicles.
In addition, the Lusail Bus Depot, which is considered the world’s largest electric bus depot with a capacity of 478 buses, was inaugurated in October 2022. The depot features over 25,000 square metres of solar panels that generate 4 megawatts (MW) of power for bus charging. The operation of electric buses charged by solar energy have been emission-free during the tournament.
Lusail is one of four bus depots to be established across the country, alongside three others based in Al Rayyan, Al Wakra and New Industrial Area, all of which are dedicated to low-emission electric buses and include e-bus charging facilities.
Event transport
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ commercial affiliates, Hyundai and KIA, supplied a total of 321 low-emission vehicles for transport of the tournament’s constituent groups. This included 176 hybrid vehicles, 135 electric vehicles (EVs) and 10 electric buses. The vehicles were used for the transport of staff, officials and VIPs, while the buses provided transport for media representatives. This constitutes the largest low-emission fleet ever deployed for a FIFA World Cup™.
Electric vehicle charging stations
The operation of event transport fleet of electric vehicles would not have been possible without the availability of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. 102 electric charging stations were built by Qatar’s General Electricity and Water Corporation "KAHRAMAA", represented in the National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency Programme "Tarsheed", to support the provision of eco-friendly transport before, during and after the tournament. This included 6 stations at the main event transport depot and 8 stations in stadium sites. In addition, plans are underway to further increase the number of EV charging stations across the country over the coming years including 160 new charging units in 2023.