Road transport is responsible for almost a quarter of Saudi Arabia’s energy use, with 22 percent of energy use in the Kingdom directed at the transport sector. This pushed the country to rationalize the energy waste in the transport sector through various initiatives, a step that would alleviate the direct impact of excessive use of energy. About 910,000 barrels of fuel and diesel are consumed daily by 12 million vehicles, according to initial studies. The transport sector is considered one of the three most consuming sectors of energy in Saudi Arabia, besides buildings and industry sectors with consumption of 30 percent and 41 percent, relatively, according to recent statistics. This requires putting urgent solutions to reduce the high consumption rate of energy in the transport sector. Cars in the Kingdom average 13 kilometers per liter compared with 14 in the US, 15.2 in China and 20 in Europe, according to latest statistics. Based on previous reports of Saudi Energy Efficiency Center, transport sector consumption of energy is expected to grow in the near future in which the number of soft-skinned vehicles is forecast to be greater in the coming 15 years than the current number. The kingdom launched several initiatives to enhance fuel consumption in soft-skinned and heavy vehicles: issuing fuel rationalizing card in December that aims to raise awareness regarding this process in soft-vehicles, setting a Saudi criterion in order to enhance fuel rationalizing of soft-skinned vehicles up to 4 percent annually, and third is the energy efficiency in tires. This step, which is taken by the Saudi government, seeks improving energy efficiency in transport sector, which would lead to sustainable transportation that contributes to social and economic development.
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