As gov’t encourages electric cars, VTC already preparing technicians

AMMAN – As authorities are pushing to promote the use of electric cars in the Kingdom, the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC) has started training automotive technicians  to be ready for the green technology. 

VTC Director Majed Habashneh told The Jordan Times Wednesday that a number of Jordanian students are currently undertaking training on maintenance for electric cars, adding the corporation has bought equipment for the workshops it developed some two years ago for the purpose. 

“We have already embarked on a mission to have a number of electric car technicians ready for the local market as Jordan is promoting the use of such vehicles,” Habashneh said. 

The VTC director indicated that would-be agents of electric cars in the Kingdom would also have their technicians trained on the technology, as is the case of dealerships of hybrid cars in the country. 

He noted that some four or five years ago, motorists used to be hesitant to own hybrids due to a shortage in maintenance technicians, but currently there is a large number of skilled workers in the field.  

Recently the government has taken a set of measures to promote the use of electric vehicles in a bid to reduce the Kingdom’s fuel bill and protect the environment, according to officials. 

As electric vehicles are tax and customs duties free, the government announced last week the exemption of such cars from registration fees, saving owners between JD8,000 and JD9,000. 

Several days later, the government decided to offer more incentives by exempting charging devices of fully electric vehicles from customs duties and sales tax.