Electric vehicle owners in the UAE have been warned to take precautions to prevent their cars from being damaged by the searing summer heat.
Experts said EVs were particularly vulnerable to certain problems when faced with extreme temperatures.
The main issue is batteries being drained by the heat, which results in less range being available for drivers.
A 2019 study published by the American Automobile Association said the driving range of an EV could reduce by up to 17 per cent if the temperature is constantly above 35ºC.
Without a doubt, extreme heat absolutely has an impact on the range of an electric vehicle operating in the UAE
Kyle Weber,
EV Lab
Unlike petrol and diesel cars, the battery on an EV can also be affected while not in use as internal fans are often required during downtime to prevent overheating.
“Without a doubt, extreme heat absolutely has an impact on the range of an electric vehicle operating in the UAE,” said Kyle Weber, former chief operating officer at electric vehicle platform EV Lab.
“Besides the increased energy consumption associated with additional cabin cooling, there is also increased energy consumption required to keep the batteries at their optimal operating temperature, which is around 25 ºC on the high side.
“Other components also need cooling, including the onboard charger, motor and inverter.”
Feeling the heat
Most EVs use lithium-ion batteries, which are known to suffer in extreme heat, Mr Weber said.
He said part of the problem is that lithium-ion batteries were created for use in indoor applications such as computers and mobile phones.
This is a particular issue in the region, as the overwhelming majority of EVs were created for use in countries that did not share such an extremely hot environment.
“The solution to extreme heat is to equip a vehicle with a powerful and energy efficient liquid cooling system to be able to expel heat that is built up in the components,” Mr Weber said.
“This is why if you ever walk past an EV on a hot day, you will likely hear the fans whirring even if there is no one inside because they are working hard to get rid of the heat coming up from the pavement to prolong the lifespan of the batteries.
“It is also why it is important to purchase an EV that has been specifically designed to deal with the temperatures here.”
Experts previously told The National there has been a rise in demand for electric and hybrid vehicles due to rising petrol prices.
A subsequent report commissioned by Audi Abu Dhabi and produced by YouGov suggested more than half of motorists were considering a switch to electric and hybrid vehicles.
Going undercover
One of the best ways to ensure an EV was not adversely affected by the heat is to keep it under shade, Mr Weber said.
“Wherever possible it is important to choose shaded parking, especially when charging the car,” he said.
“If EV owners have the luxury of choosing when to charge, for example, if you have your own charger at your home, then charging in the evening hours will be easier on the cooling systems.
“But everything else is automatically regulated by the car so there is not a whole lot that the average person can do apart from this to ensure optimal battery performance.”
Keeping cool
That you could leave an EV fully charged up and come back later to find the battery significantly drained is such a common issue it even has been given its own name, said Salman Hussain, chief executive of Fuse, a Dubai firm that specialises in converting cars with petrol engines to electric.
“It’s famously called the vampire drain because your systems will stay on at all times to make sure the battery stays in good condition,” Mr Hussain said.
“It will constantly drain a little power, so you need to be aware of that and keep as charged as much as possible to compensate for that, as well as parking it in the shade when you can.”
A version of this story was first published in August, 2022
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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THREE
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Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Mane 51', Salah 53'
Chelsea 0
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The%20specs
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