Majid Zahid and Pierre Clasquin sign the preliminary agreement between Altaaqa and TotalEnergies to set up electric vehicle charging stations. Photo: TotalEnergies
Majid Zahid and Pierre Clasquin sign the preliminary agreement between Altaaqa and TotalEnergies to set up electric vehicle charging stations. Photo: TotalEnergies
Majid Zahid and Pierre Clasquin sign the preliminary agreement between Altaaqa and TotalEnergies to set up electric vehicle charging stations. Photo: TotalEnergies
Majid Zahid and Pierre Clasquin sign the preliminary agreement between Altaaqa and TotalEnergies to set up electric vehicle charging stations. Photo: TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies and Saudi Arabia’s Altaaqa collaborate on EV charging stations in kingdom


Alvin R Cabral
  • English
  • Arabic

Altaaqa, part of Jeddah-based Zahid Group, and France’s TotalEnergies have signed a preliminary agreement to develop and install integrated electric vehicle charging stations in Saudi Arabia.

Under the Altaaqa EV brand, the companies will offer end-to-end solutions for the development of the stations, including infrastructure, EV supply equipment deployment, TotalEnergies said in a statement on Wednesday. They will also collaborate on preliminary studies, engineering, project management and technical operations.

The preliminary agreement will “reassure automotive retailers and end-users across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as they transition towards electric vehicles”, Majid Zahid, group president for energy at Zahid Group, said.

Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s biggest economy, aims to drive its economy into the future with its Vision 2030 agenda, which has an emphasis on supporting the sustainable development goals of all economic sectors. The kingdom aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 through a circular carbon economy approach.

Part of this strategy is the transition to greener forms of transport. The rapid growth of the kingdom’s EV market earned it a top-50 spot in the latest Automotive Electrification Index, released this month by New York consultancy AlixPartners.

On Wednesday, Lucid Motors, the EV maker backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, signed an agreement with the Saudi government for the sale of 100,000 cars that will support Riyadh’s sustainability drive.

Altaaqa EV will submit proposals to both contractors, which will provide comprehensive EV charging station solutions. It said it would also ensure that the Saudi EV market had access to the highest international standards of quality and safety.

“Our two groups are joining forces to start addressing the Saudi Arabian electric mobility market. It’s a great opportunity to be committed to the transition towards a more sustainable land transportation,” said Pierre Clasquin, vice president of EV charge division at TotalEnergies.

​Altaaqa was established in Saudi Arabia in 2004. Its parent company, Zahid Group, is a privately held organisation employing about 5,000 people in sectors including energy, utilities, heavy machinery, financial services, manufacturing, transport and hospitality.

TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that employs about 105,000 people.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FIXTURES

UAE’s remaining fixtures in World Cup qualification R2
Oct 8: Malaysia (h)
Oct 13: Indonesia (a)
Nov 12: Thailand (h)
Nov 17: Vietnam (h)
 

Six large-scale objects on show
  • Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
  • The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
  • A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
  • Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
  • A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
  • Torrijos Palace dome
RACE CARD

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 (PA) Listed Dh230,000 1,600m
6.30pm: HH The President’s Cup (PA) Group 1 Dh2.5million 2,200m
7pm: HH The President’s Cup (TB) Listed Dh380,000 1,400m
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,200m.

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Spec%20sheet
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What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

Company%20profile
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Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

THE%C2%A0SPECS
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Sanchez's club career

2005-2006: Cobreloa

2006-2011 Udinese

2006-2007 Colo-Colo (on loan)

2007-2008 River Plate (on loan)

2011-2014 Barcelona

2014–Present Arsenal

Greatest Royal Rumble match listing

50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias

Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura

Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe

United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal

SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos

Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt

Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev

Singles match John Cena v Triple H

Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto

The lowdown

Rating: 4/5

RESULTS
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The bio

Favourite vegetable: Broccoli

Favourite food: Seafood

Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange

Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania

Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.

Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes

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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

Updated: April 27, 2022, 4:55 PM