UAE: 260,000 Electric Vehicles Sold Last Year

                                                                                      UAE Leads Electric Vehicle Revolution

 Report: UAE Leads Electric Vehicle Revolution in the Middle East

Once known for its luxury vehicles and high fuel consumption, the UAE is now at the forefront of the electric vehicle transition in the Middle East, reflecting a radical shift in the country's economic and climate vision.

According to data from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, electric vehicles accounted for approximately 13% of total new car sales in 2023, up from 3.2% in 2022 and just 0.7% in 2021.

Statista figures indicate that 260,000 new vehicles were sold in the UAE last year, strengthening its position as an emerging market for green vehicles, according to a report published by Rest of World.

Ambitious Goals and a Clear Strategy

The UAE aims to have half of the vehicles on its roads electric by 2050, according to Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, who affirmed his country's full commitment to clean energy and expanding charging infrastructure.

Growing Local Demand

According to a joint Al-Futtaim and YouGov survey, nearly two-thirds of UAE residents want to fully switch to electric vehicles by 2025. Meanwhile, companies like Al-Futtaim and Smart Mobility continue to launch new models, including brands like BYD and GAC Aion.

Investments in Charging and Infrastructure

In May 2024, the government launched the UAEV project in partnership with the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) to build a national network of 1,000 charging stations by 2030. DEWA currently has more than 740 charging points in the city.

In recent years, the UAE has offered incentives including free charging, free parking, and green financing, along with policies requiring new projects to provide infrastructure suitable for electric vehicles.

But the road ahead is not without challenges; the desert climate affects batteries, and recycling them is a growing environmental challenge. However, the government is working to launch the first national facility for recycling electric vehicle batteries in cooperation with Bee'ah.

Experts believe that the UAE's experience proves that an oil-based economy is not incompatible with clean energy, but can actually serve as a launching pad for a sustainable technological revolution.