The Japan Times - Dodging fuel price hikes, Damascus drivers turn to electric cars

He is among some in the Syrian capital who are steering towards electric cars -- mostly Chinese-made -- after repeated fuel shortages during the country's civil war and petrol price hikes, most recently due to the Middle East war.

"I used to have a car that ran on petrol but lately fuel quality has been low and prices have gone up," said Kanaan, 42, who had barely been covering his operating costs.

"In the end, I decided to buy an electric car and set up a charging point," he told AFP.

Before the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad nearly two years ago, it was rare to see modern cars in Damascus, particularly after civil war erupted in 2011.

The economy tanked, and imports of new vehicles screeched to a halt due to Western sanctions, which have largely been lifted since the new authorities took power.

When the new authorities came to power and reduced tariffs, some 100,000 cars were imported, before they halted imports of used cars due to concerns over quality.

Not all Syrians can afford to make the switch to electric, with the percentage remaining negligible as most still live in poverty.

- Sub-par petrol -

Some Syrians took to the streets in protest last month after petrol costs jumped by 26 percent following a government decision to increase prices amid global surges due to the regional conflict.

Kanaan said his old gas-guzzler needed $26 worth of petrol to drive around 200 kilometres (around 125 miles), but he can now cover the same distance for around $6 by charging his car through the state power grid.

During the civil war, Damascus experienced lengthy power cuts, but supply has improved in recent months as authorities seek to revive the economy and ailing infrastructure.

Still, some people with electric cars have set up solar charging stations to dodge the problem altogether.

Other issues persist. Drivers told AFP that a few weeks earlier, a batch of poor-quality petrol caused problems and breakdowns for hundreds of cars.

The energy ministry subsequently said the sub-par petrol had reached markets due to an "operational error", pledging accountability and compensation for affected motorists.

Syria depends partly on imported petrol, leaving its people susceptible to shortages and long lines at stations.

Citing energy ministry figures, state news agency SANA said last month that Syria's average daily petrol supply was around 2.32 million litres, around a third of it imported.

- 'Everybody is happy' -

Walking between vehicles at his family company's showroom outside Damascus, Hamza Sukkar, 25, said electric car purchases had accelerated recently.

"For around eight months, the demand for electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles has increased due to the rise in petrol prices and its low quality, pushing people to turn to electric cars," he told AFP.

The cheapest petrol-powered car in his showroom costs more than $12,000, while the electric cars start at $9,000, making them an increasingly attractive choice.

"We now sell three to four electric cars for every petrol-powered car," Sukkar said.

This reflects global figures, where one in four new cars sold worldwide in 2025 was electric, according to the International Energy Agency.

Though Syria as a whole is far from that proportion, the market for electric cars is growing rapidly.

Transport companies are also noticing a shift in gear.

At the headquarters of YallaGo!, a leading ride-hailing app in Damascus, local operations manager Rami al-Hamad said "the number of electric cars registered with us has risen by around 20 percent" in recent months.

He attributed the change to "lower operating costs compared to running petrol-powered cars", allowing drivers a chance of higher profits.

But many Syrians lack the funds to buy the cars in the first place, while ensuring regular charging and maintenance can also be a challenge, Hamad noted.

Taxi driver Ahmed al-Lahham, who has been using an electric car for three months, was among those who appeared satisfied with the change.

"Electric cars are new and economical. Passengers are happy with a new car, and I'm happy with the lower costs... so everybody is happy," he said.

S.Ogawa--JT