Dubai Speeds Up Electric Vehicle Adoption

Amid the negative reports on climate change, there are optimistic stories about progress. We’ve seen wins in building our renewable energy capacity and increasing the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

Advancing Dubai’s green mobility plans, the number of EVs in Dubai reached 25,929 by the end of December, according to the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). This increased from 15,100 EVs in 2022.

“We will continue to foster the use of electric vehicles through continuous development of the green charging stations using technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Saeed Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive of DEWA.

With Dubai’s mission to have 50% of the city’s cars transition to electric vehicles by 2050, there also comes a need to amp up the EV charging infrastructure and grid. The utility company has invested in a network of public charging stations for EVs to boost green mobility.

The use of DEWA’s green charging stations for EVs rose 59% year-on-year in 2023. The statement added that it has installed 382 EV green charging stations across Dubai, many with dual charging outlets.

“DEWA has launched several features to facilitate the charging of EVs on its public charging network, reduce charging time, enhance the infrastructure, and provide better access to charging facilities across Dubai,” added Al Tayer.

The UAE is encouraging green mobility plans to achieve net-zero emissions by lowering the carbon footprint in the transport sector, reducing energy consumption in the transport sector by 40%, reducing carbon emissions by 10 million tonnes, and increasing the share of EVs to 50% of the total vehicles on UAE roads by 2050.

As more people buy EVs, the oil demand is reduced. Experts in the space see even more EV growth, especially as prices come down and production volumes ramp up.