The Saudi Energy Efficiency Center (SEEC) has registered great improvement in Saudi fuel consumption in the transportation sector over the period of 2015-2017. Fuel efficiency in new vehicles has improved by 3.5% and by 6.5% for previously-owned vehicles.
The program spotted an upward trend, estimated at 14.1%, in the usage of fuel-efficient cars between years 2016-2017.
Saudi state authorities have launched a nationwide energy efficiency program which is designed to introduce and implement the Saudi Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency standard (CAFE). Saudi Arabia’s CAFE standard is a means to stimulate energy efficiency and encourage resource conservation and contribute to the environment. This will enable consumers to save money, reduce fossil fuel consumption and strengthen the Kingdom’s role in the fight against climate change.
These efforts are backed by a number of memorandums of understanding signed with a large number of light vehicle manufacturers. The energy efficiency national program aims to improve fuel efficiency in Saudi Arabia by up to 4% annually to 55% of the total fuel consumption in the land transport sector by 2025.
The SEEC and other entities including the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization, Saudi Customs, and Ministry of Commerce and Industry have been asked to monitor the implementation of the CAFE standards.
The purpose of the fuel standards is to commit the light-duty vehicle manufacturers to sell their cars in the kingdom and comply with the Saudi CAFE. This standard has a double dividend from the automobile manufacturer side, as it incentivizes them to introduce the up-to-date efficiency technologies and cut the supply the low-efficient technologies to the Saudi market.
The Saudi CAFE standard targets an improvement in the overall fuel economy with an average of 4% annually. This would lift up the Kingdom’s fuel economy LDVs from its current level of 12 km per liter to 19 km per liter by 2025.