Dubai’s Community Development Authority and UAEV are installing electric vehicle chargers at majlises, councils, and wedding halls across the emirate, bringing charging infrastructure into spaces residents visit regularly.
What has been agreed between the CDA and UAEV?
Dubai’s Community Development Authority has signed a strategic agreement with UAEV. UAEV is the country’s first fully government-owned electric vehicle charging network. The agreement places EV charging points at CDA-managed venues across Dubai.
The venues covered include majlises, councils, and wedding halls. These are spaces many residents visit weekly. Consequently, the deal puts charging infrastructure where people already spend time, rather than limiting it to motorway stops or retail car parks.
Where are the chargers being installed, and when?
The first phase is already under way. Charging stations are now active at majlises in Al Rashidiya, Al Barsha, and Nad Al Sheba. These three locations give the network an immediate footprint in established residential areas.
The rollout continues in 2026. Al Khawaneej, Al Warqa, and the Al Barsha wedding hall are all scheduled to receive charging points that year. A second phase follows in 2027, covering the Al Twar wedding hall, along with majlises in Al Awir and Hatta. The staged approach means the project is built incrementally, with each phase extending the network further into the city’s communities.
What do the officials involved say about the project?
Sheikha Al Jarman is the chief executive of the social development sector at the CDA. She said the initiative supports the transition to a green economy. Her framing places the agreement within Dubai’s broader environmental commitments.
Ali Al Darwish is acting chief executive of UAEV. He said the partnership makes charging services more accessible to residents. Together, their statements point to a practical goal: as EV ownership grows across Dubai, the charging network must grow alongside it. Therefore, community venues give UAEV a new category of location where visibility and convenience are high.
How does this fit into Dubai’s wider EV infrastructure plans?
This agreement sits within a pattern of EV infrastructure investment across multiple government departments. Dubai Municipality has separately announced plans for EV superchargers across 600 parking spaces. Those spaces span public parks, beaches, and leisure sites. The investment for that programme is AED 150 million.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department has signed an eight-year framework with UAEV. That deal covers the development of charging facilities in mosque parking areas. As a result, EV chargers are appearing across a wide range of public and civic spaces. The CDA agreement is one part of a coordinated effort to distribute charging infrastructure throughout everyday life in Dubai, however it is the community venue angle that is new here. Wedding halls and majlises attract large gatherings, which means chargers there will have high exposure among residents who may be considering an EV purchase.
Why does the location of charging infrastructure matter for EV adoption?
Range anxiety and charging access remain two of the most frequently cited reasons drivers delay switching to electric vehicles. For example, a driver who regularly attends a majlis in Al Rashidiya can now charge during visits. That removes a practical barrier without requiring any extra journey.
Convenience is a strong driver of behaviour change. Chargers that appear in familiar, frequently visited locations do more to normalise EV ownership than those placed only along main roads or in large shopping centres. In addition, community venues attract diverse age groups and income levels, which means the infrastructure reaches a broader cross-section of potential EV buyers. Consequently, the CDA partnership gives UAEV access to an audience that purpose-built charging sites would be less likely to reach. Dubai’s approach of embedding charging into civic and social infrastructure is, therefore, a considered response to where adoption barriers actually exist.
