Dubai turns Tesla X into a Taxi

It may sound slightly counterintuitive for a supposedly oil-rich country like Dubai to mandate the usage of electric vehicles as taxis, but that is precisely what is happening in Dubai. In true Gulf State-style, though, it hasn't just picked any taxi; it has gone with the Tesla Model X—fifty of them, to be precise—to add to the 'limo' end of the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC).

Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, who is the ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the UAE, had previously made the directive for Dubai to be transformed into the ‘Smartest City' in the world, with the use of new technology to achieve this, and the Gulf State has already been experimenting with drone taxi services

Read: Dubai plans World's First Drone Taxi Service. 

Dubai also has an initiative to create green and sustained development, with an increasing number of all journeys becoming driverless by 2030. Of course the Tesla X has the ability to self-drive, although we are reliably informed that for the time being that all Tesla taxis will come with a driver. Over the next two years, a further 150 are planned to enter service, so it is quite possible that you will be able to grab a Tesla X at the airport next time you fly into Dubai.

Elon Musk with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rahsid

images: gulfnews.com; thenational.ae