Govt gives new August deadline for launch of EV taxi line

The government’s taxi line service will launch before the end of August, says Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen.

Ameen had previously said that the full-EV taxi line will launch in the first week of July.

But in an exclusive interview to Public Service Media (PSM) on Sunday, Ameen said the government will not be able to meet the original deadline.

He said that launching a full-fledged EV taxi line is no simple matter, as it will take time to custom-make the vehicles.

“The reality we must accept is that this is not something you take from a store shelf. There will also be certain modifications when the taxis are brought in the specific size and with the specific equipment we want. According to the current timeline, the taxi line will be in service no later than by the end of August,” he said.

Ameen said the production of taxis will begin on Tuesday.

The taxi line is set to be operated by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), which also operates public buses and ferries.

Despite assurances by Ameen that the government-run taxi line will not affect private taxi services, the plan has prompted serial protests in the capital by taxi drivers.