Our website uses cookies to provide your browsing experience and relevant information. Before continuing to use our website, you agree & accept our Cookie Policy & Privacy.
“We are going to be cooperating with large companies and offering a campaign – get off the green line and become energy efficient, buy green and save the planet.”
Replacing existing cars with eco-friendly modes of transportation is one of the most important ways to contribute to green business in the country. Ecodrive.ge is a new project on the market which aims to promote a healthy environment in the country, prevent air and environmental pollution, and offer eco-friendly products to customers.
In an interview with The FINANCIAL, Natalia Alikhanashvili, Executive Director of Ecodrive.ge, talked about the main role of the company in the market, emphasised its contribution to promoting green business in Georgia, and its plans for the future in this direction.
Q. What is the main goal of your company and its vision for the market?
A. Georgian project Ecodrive.ge was established with the aim of helping the environment. The products on offer are aimed at combating modern-day environmental issues. Due to its diversity, Ecodrive.ge is adapted to customers of different tastes, those who travel by car, scooter or otherwise. Electric cars and scooters reduce fuel consumption and air pollution.
Also, for consumers who want to light their offices, homes or gardens with modern visual lights, eco-lighting saves more than 80% of energy compared to traditional lighting.
Our priority is providing a quick and creative solution for the benefit of the customer, through which we can reach the best result. Let’s help the environment and save the earth together!
Q. What is the role of ECO Drive in promoting green business in Georgia?
A. Ecodrive.ge is the first Georgian project that has been able to combine all eco-friendly products in one space. The goal of the company is for every customer to become interested and willing to follow the challenge of the world and become guardians of the earth. Our project and its products allow customers to customise any product for both personal and commercial purposes.
Q. What services do you offer to customers?
A. The project combines two directions. In terms of lighting, we are partners with the large manufacturer Senslights, a Korean company that offers a full line of premium quality electrical products: Solar panels, Solar lights, Led lights, Hybrid conditioners etc. Also, our partner in the direction of electric vehicles is the Chinese state-owned company JAC Motors, which offers a full line of electric vehicles. The company offers a variety of passenger and commercial vehicles: trucks, loaders, buses and others.
Our partner in the line of electric cars is the Japanese brand HONDA, which offers passenger electric cars.
We also offer 10% cashback to companies who purchase an electric vehicle under leasing conditions.
Q. Why do you think that promoting green business is important for the development of the country?
A. Of course, taking care of the environment globally and locally, improving ecological benchmarks and saving costs from an economic point of view, such as utility and logistics costs, are very important. This is quite prevalent in large enterprises, where they have the opportunity to reinvest the saved funds in business development or even invest in small start-up projects, in which mostly young people are involved. Implementation of the above-mentioned projects means more employed citizens and more income for the home state. In reality, we are reaching the point where a strong social environment and a healthy, successful business environment directly and proportionality determines the strength of the country. In order to implement all this, the state’s support and participation play a major role.
Q. The introduction and promotion of electric vehicles is an increasingly important issue for the country. In what way are you contributing to this?
A. Our role – to present this issue as a separate project – is already a step forward for the country. A few years ago we introduced the first electric car and started developing the green line. We think that not only from a business point of view, but also from a social responsibility point of view, the Georgian green project of GAA Holding – Ecodrive.ge, has an important role and objective in the Georgian market.
Q. What challenges do you see in terms of introducing electric vehicles in the country?
A. There are certain obstacles, for example from the tax point of view, Solar panels and solar lightings, due to their battery, there is an additional tax on them, i.e. VAT.
In terms of this, it would be good for the state to adopt a specific law and promote the development of this direction with legislation. It would also be beneficial to plan and establish electric charging points and parking places throughout the city and country. Providing adequate infrastructure is very important for consumers; solving the problem of where to park or charge their vehicle. If in Europe up to 10 chargers are installed every 100 km, according to our standards, we should find at least 1 charger every 3-5 km.
Q. For you as a business, what are the obstacles to improving green business development?
A. One of the most important things I would highlight is it would be good if the government were to support green projects – as mentioned above, support from a tax point of view and complete exemption from additional taxes for products within the framework of social responsibility projects. This would avoid increasing the prices of products for the end customer, who would then have the opportunity to purchase it for a much more affordable price.
Q. What environmental issues would you single out that you, as a business, are having the most positive impact on?
A. This would certainly be the reduction in emissions that our electric vehicles majorly contribute to. Carbon emissions are directly proportionate to air pollution, in particular, second-hand cars run on gasoline and diesel, which are entering our country in large numbers.
Q. What are the short- and medium-term plans of ECO Drive and what are the projects you’re planning to develop in terms of green business?
A. We are going to be cooperating with large companies and offering a campaign – get off the green line and become energy efficient, buy green and save the planet. This involves offering solar panels, solar lightings and led lighting systems to companies. From solar energy panels to electric transport, we provide full green line products. We understand that the initial investment in this product is costly, but in the long run it is profitable and also helps the environment.
We also have a new product, which is a ready-made package. It is a mini 5 kilowatt solar panel power station for private houses and cottages. It can be used immediately after installation within 24-hours.
Ecodrive.ge is a Georgian project that adapts to all kinds of challenges and demands. Our goal is to strive for development. We are a part of Europe and we must follow world technological developments closely.
Ecodrive.ge – Buy green products and save the planet.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
