logo
Porsche Centre Oman and Shell Oman to expand EV charging infrastructure in Oman

Porsche Centre Oman and Shell Oman to expand EV charging infrastructure in Oman

Times of Oman3 days ago

Muscat: Porsche Centre Oman, SATA L.L.C., has announced a partnership with Shell Oman Marketing Company (Shell Oman) to significantly increase the roll-out of electric vehicle (EV) chargers across Oman.
The agreement will see at least eight co-branded Porsche and Shell DC high performance charging stations installed in the Sultanate.
Porsche Centre Oman and Shell Oman will also cooperate to install 125 AC Porsche Destination Chargers at convenient locations, allowing Porsche customers to top up, free-of-charge.
'Thursday marks a significant step forward in our commitment to a more sustainable future. Through this collaboration with Shell Oman, we are proud to lead the charge – quite literally – in building the infrastructure needed to support electromobility in the Sultanate,' said Samir Abdul Rasool Qassim Al Zadjali, Chief Executive Officer, Porsche Centre Oman.
'By introducing both high-performance and destination chargers, we are not only meeting the evolving needs of our customers but also supporting Oman's broader vision for electromobility and sustainable progress. Our collaboration with Shell marks a major milestone in accelerating EV adoption in Oman.'
Porsche Centre Oman customers who purchase their new EV model from 1 June 2025 will receive a two-year subscription package, which includes 2,250 kWh worth of charging at Porsche-branded DC high performance charging sites at no additional cost.
Additional charging is then available at a preferential rate thereafter. Customers will also have the possibility to purchase a subscription package separately.
The AC Porsche Destination Chargers will remain free of cost for Porsche owners.
The collaboration underscores a mutually strong commitment from Porsche Centre Oman and Shell Oman to support Oman's transition to more sustainable mobility, and aligns with the country's long-term sustainability and electrification vision.
'At Shell, we are committed to driving more sustainable mobility solutions. This partnership reinforces our dedication to providing a reliable EV charging infrastructure in Oman,' said Burair Al Lawati, General Manager – Strategy & Energy Transition, Shell Oman.
'This partnership marks a significant milestone in expanding Oman's EV infrastructure at key destinations. It underscores our commitment to feasible, scalable, and more sustainable consumer-focused solutions, built through strong collaboration with key stakeholders and guided by a clear national roadmap.
'We extend our sincere appreciation to Porsche's authorised importer in Oman, SATA LLC, and to the dedicated teams at Porsche regionally and globally for their instrumental support.
'Together, we are creating a EV ecosystem that empowers motorists with the infrastructure, reliability, and peace of mind they need to make the transition to electric vehicles.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Electric cars key to India's energy independence, says IEA chief
Electric cars key to India's energy independence, says IEA chief

Times of Oman

time2 hours ago

  • Times of Oman

Electric cars key to India's energy independence, says IEA chief

Paris: India should prioritise electric vehicle (EV) adoption to reduce its dependence on oil imports and strengthen energy security, International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Monday after a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. "India should look at the electrification of mobility very closely because currently we have low oil prices, but the country is definitely at the mercy of some key oil producers," Birol warned. "If India wants to have the upper hand in terms of domestic energy trajectories, electric cars are one of the key solutions." The IEA chief highlighted the rapid global shift toward electric vehicles, noting that electric car sales have surged from just 3 per cent of total car sales four years ago to 25% this year. "One out of four cars sold today is electric," he said. "This is mainly because electric cars are getting cheaper, slowly but surely." In many countries, electric and conventional vehicles now carry similar price tags, while operating costs favour EVs. "In most countries around the world, driving one kilometre costs less with electricity than with oil, unless oil prices fall below $50," Birol explained. He predicted that electric vehicles will eventually dominate global transportation. "The world is going to see that sooner or later, electric cars will be dominating the streets." Birol praised India as "one of the drivers of the global clean energy transition," particularly highlighting the country's solar energy achievements. "India has achieved a huge success story, especially on the solar front, and this is good for India's economy and its energy security," he noted. The IEA executive director also commended India's LED bulb program, calling Minister Goyal its architect and describing it as "one of the most successful programs in the history of energy transition." The initiative has made India's electrification system more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. He also praised the Ujjwala program for bringing clean cooking solutions to hundreds of millions of households and for its efforts to provide electricity access to Indian villages. Addressing concerns about the energy transition's supply chain, Birol warned of growing concentration in critical mineral mining and processing. "We are seeing major concentration. This is a worry because we at the IEA believe that the best energy security policy is diversification," he said. The concentration of critical minerals--essential for energy transition, defense, and chip manufacturing--poses "serious risk for the years to come," he warned. Birol urged all countries to diversify mining, refining, and processing of key critical minerals to avoid potential supply disruptions. For oil-importing nations like India, Birol recommended government incentives to accelerate electric vehicle adoption. "Countries importing oil should consider giving incentives to electric cars to reduce imports from different parts of the world," he said. He emphasized the importance of supporting consumers in purchasing their first electric vehicles, noting that countries must avoid falling behind in the electric car revolution.

Oman bans government contracts for firms failing Omanisation targets
Oman bans government contracts for firms failing Omanisation targets

Times of Oman

time10 hours ago

  • Times of Oman

Oman bans government contracts for firms failing Omanisation targets

MUSCAT: In a sweeping move to tighten enforcement of its national employment policy, the Sultanate of Oman's Tender Board has made it mandatory for all private sector companies to comply with approved Omanisation rates in order to be eligible for government contracts. The directive, issued under Circular No. 2025/2, instructs all ministries and government entities governed by the Tender Law to refrain from awarding contracts to companies that fail to meet the stipulated Omanisation levels, marking a significant shift toward safeguarding jobs for Omani nationals. The circular, issued by the General Secretariat of the Tender Board, aims to ensure that the employment of Omani citizens becomes a non-negotiable requirement in public sector contracting. It instructs government bodies to include a clause related to Omanisation compliance in all tender documents before the tender is floated. This clause is to be inserted in accordance with the official format provided and must make clear that non-compliance with national workforce targets will result in disqualification from the bidding process. In a move that streamlines compliance and enhances transparency, the circular also mandates that government entities verify a company's adherence to Omanisation targets through the Esnad electronic tendering system. This verification is to be carried out prior to awarding any contract, with Esnad drawing real-time employment data directly from the Ministry of Labour. The integration of this digital system ensures that non-compliant companies are screened out at an early stage, minimising the possibility of circumvention. Further, the new rules extend to international companies and institutions that are not registered within the Sultanate but participate in tenders for large-scale or strategic government projects. While such companies may not be immediately subject to pre-award Omanisation verification, their compliance will be closely monitored post-award and during contract implementation. This oversight forms part of the broader local content strategy, which includes evaluating how effectively these companies contribute to Oman's workforce development and national economic goals throughout the lifecycle of a project. The Tender Board has called on all ministries and public sector units to fully comply with the provisions of the circular 'in the public interest,' underlining the importance of the directive in advancing national priorities. The move is aligned with the goals of Oman Vision 2040, which places a strong emphasis on empowering the national workforce, enhancing economic sustainability, and reducing dependence on expat labour in key sectors. The policy is expected to significantly impact the way private and foreign companies approach public tenders in Oman, compelling them to prioritise the recruitment, training, and retention of Omani nationals as part of their operational strategy. Industry analysts believe the move will not only create more job opportunities for Omanis but also push companies to invest in long-term human capital development within the country.

Trump's Tariffs are back
Trump's Tariffs are back

Times of Oman

time10 hours ago

  • Times of Oman

Trump's Tariffs are back

A US Federal Court has blocked President Donald Trump's tariff, a major setback to his trade policies. The Manhattan-based three-judge court of International Trade said the US Constitution gave Congress exclusive powers to regulate commerce with other nations, but did not give the President unilateral authority to impose tariffs on all countries. However, the US Court of Appeals granted a temporary stay of the order. Speaking to The Times of Oman, R. Madhusoodanan, a former SBI Official and a financial expert based in Muscat, said, the court ruling has cheered the financial markets; however, with the temporary stay, the tariffs are back now. Typically, such vital decisions like changes in tariffs need to be approved by the Congress, but were bypassed by the President, according to the petitioners. After taking office as President in January 2025, Trump announced his tariff plan against most countries of the world, citing that the US is being treated unfairly in global trade, creating an imbalance in tariffs. His stance was that if they charge us, we charge them. He said, the higher tariffs announcement has caused several economic, political, and strategic impacts on both Advanced Economies (AEs) and Emerging Market (EM) Economies of the world. It has disrupted the established supply chains and slowed economic growth. Despite the 90 days pause on the tariffs announced on 9th April 2025 for countries excepting China and China on 11th of May 2025, after the de-escalation of the trade tension meeting held in Geneva between the two countries, the Trump administration continued to fuel global economic uncertainty with its unpredictable trade policies. This was evidenced by the announcement of a 50% tariff on the European Union(EU) effective from June 1st and later shifted to July 9th 2025. Reports also indicated that he threatened a 25% tariff on Apple if it continued to manufacture iPhones overseas. R. Madhusoodanan said, no countries are insulated from the adverse impacts of the tariff threat. The global economy has been affected due to the tariffs and retaliatory tariffs announcements. There are signs of economic slowdown in the US, China, among other countries. The US is well aware of the long-term impact of the tariffs, i.e. a possible downturn in the GDP growth along with a slowdown in the US exports and consumption. If continued, it will push up inflation and hurt employment in the US. The Chinese economy has also been affected by the tariff war. Its export to US fell sharply, impacting the country's enormous manufacturing sector. China had to roll out fresh economic stimulus to the affected sectors. Large-scale incentives and subsidies were given to companies to make their products and services more competitive in the global markets. China also had to introduce many austerity measures to tide it over the situation arising out of this. The Emerging Market(EM) Economies are also affected, but have taken steps to reduce their dependency on the US and have formed new trading blocs, he said. Earlier, the US has made it clear that the tariff rates will soon return to a 'reciprocal ' level if countries don't reach trade agreements during the 90-day pause. The disruptive trade agenda will not help any country, for that matter. Now with the ruling of the US Court, I believe there remains a possibility of a mutually beneficial long-lasting resolution that can restore the stability of global trade, R. Madhusoodanan said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store