UAE leads Gulf in EV readiness as electric vehicles reach 9% of new car sales

The UAE leads the Gulf in electric vehicle readiness, ranking 22nd globally, according to a new Arthur D. Little (ADL) report, Khaleej Times reported. Electric vehicles made up around 9 percent of new vehicle sales in the country in 2025.

How does the UAE rank for EV readiness?

The UAE scored 53 points in the 2026 Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index. That makes it the top GCC market among the 31 assessed. The report links readiness to the wider ecosystem, including charging, affordability, regulation, energy and customer readiness, not just vehicle technology.

How many EVs are sold in the UAE?

Battery electric vehicles accounted for around 6 to 8 percent of new vehicle sales in 2025. Plug-in hybrids made up another 2.5 percent.

Charging infrastructure has expanded to about 2,800 charging points nationwide. These include around 1,250 DC charging points and 350 high-power charging units.

The UAE aims for 50 percent of vehicles on its roads to be electric or hybrid by 2050. Dubai targets EVs at more than 15 percent of its vehicle fleet by 2030.

Why is the UAE ahead of other Gulf markets?

Joseph Salem, Partner and Middle East lead for Travel, Transportation and Hospitality at ADL, said the ranking reflects a market with growing visibility and a clear direction for its EV ecosystem. He said adoption is gaining momentum alongside continued investment in charging infrastructure and long-term mobility goals.

The next step, he said, is to keep aligning infrastructure, vehicle availability and customer needs. This would turn the momentum into broader market adoption.

Which countries lead the EV readiness index?

China and Norway are the only two markets to score above 100 on the index. This indicates broad readiness parity between EVs and traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

China scored 106 and Norway 103. Singapore followed at 96 and the Netherlands at 90.

ADL said China's position reflects an ecosystem that combines vehicle technology, manufacturing scale, battery and component supply chains, software, charging infrastructure, energy economics, incentives and regulation.

How is EV growth different across countries?

The report found that the EV transition is moving at different speeds across markets. Türkiye, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Brazil are gaining momentum through different mixes of affordability, infrastructure, industrial policy and domestic companies.

ADL said battery electric vehicles are unlikely to scale at the same pace everywhere. Plug-in hybrids and range-extended electric vehicles may continue to act as a bridge in some markets.

Alexander Krug, Partner in ADL's Automotive and Manufacturing Goods practice, said the world will not go fully electric "at one speed or through one pathway." He said successful companies will need to understand individual markets and their ecosystems.