Electric vehicles made up roughly 9 percent of new car sales in the UAE last year, and a new global ranking confirms the country now leads all Gulf markets in preparing for an electric future.
Arthur D. Little's 2026 Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index placed the UAE 22nd worldwide, scoring 53 points, the highest among 31 GCC markets assessed. That puts the country well ahead of its regional peers, though still far from the top performers globally.
Where the UAE stands globally
China and Norway remain the only two markets to score above 100 on the index, with China at 106 and Norway at 103. Singapore followed at 96 and the Netherlands at 90. The gap between those leaders and the UAE's 53 points shows how much runway remains, even as the Emirates outpaces its Gulf neighbours.
Joseph Salem, Partner and Middle East lead for Travel, Transportation and Hospitality at Arthur D. Little, said the UAE's position reflects a market with growing visibility and a clear direction for its EV ecosystem.
What's driving the 9 percent
Of the roughly 9 percent of new vehicle sales that were electric in 2025, battery electric vehicles accounted for approximately 6 to 8 percent, with plug-in hybrids making up around 2.5 percent. That split suggests buyers are still weighing range and charging convenience against the reassurance of a backup engine.
Charging infrastructure has expanded to support that shift. The UAE now counts approximately 2,800 charging points nationwide, including around 1,250 DC charging points and 350 high-power charging units. That network underpins the country's ability to keep pace with rising EV demand, particularly for drivers without home charging access.
The targets ahead
The UAE has set a long-term goal for 50 percent of vehicles on its roads to be electric or hybrid by 2050. Dubai has its own nearer-term marker, aiming for EVs to make up more than 15 percent of its vehicle fleet by 2030.
Alexander Krug, Partner in Arthur D. Little's Automotive and Manufacturing Goods practice, said the world would not become fully electric "at one speed or through one pathway", with successful companies needing to understand individual markets and their ecosystems.
That framing matters for the UAE, where policy targets, charging rollouts and consumer uptake are all moving in the same direction but at different speeds. The current 9 percent sales share and the 2,800-point charging network represent an early stage of a transition that stretches out to 2050, with Dubai's 2030 fleet target serving as one of the more immediate checkpoints along the way.
For now, the ranking gives the UAE a clear marker of regional leadership, even as global comparisons show there is considerable distance to travel before it approaches the readiness levels seen in markets like China, Norway, Singapore and the Netherlands.
