The UAE is the Gulf’s best-prepared market for electric cars, according to a new global study from consultancy Arthur D. Little. It ranks 22nd out of 31 markets worldwide, which puts it well ahead of its neighbours. Even so, it still sits some distance behind China, Norway and the other leaders.
What did the index find?
Arthur D. Little published its 2026 Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index, known as GEMRIX, on Wednesday 23 September. The UAE scored 53 and placed 22nd globally, the highest position of any Gulf market.
The study assessed 31 markets in total. Its central conclusion is that the switch to electric cars has become an “ecosystem race”. In other words, good cars alone won’t drive mass adoption. Instead, countries also need enough chargers, competitive running costs and supportive rules. They need a wide choice of models, too, along with drivers who are willing to change.
How many drivers in the UAE are going electric?
According to Arthur D. Little, electric vehicles made up around 9% of new car sales in the UAE in 2025. Within that figure, fully battery electric cars took roughly 6% to 8% of the market. Plug-in hybrids, meanwhile, accounted for about 2.5%.
Charging has grown alongside sales. The report estimates that the UAE now has around 2,800 public charging points. Of these, about 1,250 are DC fast chargers and 350 are high-power units. It’s worth stressing that these are the consultancy’s own estimates, not an independent count.
What targets has the country set?
The UAE wants electric and hybrid vehicles to make up half of all cars on its roads by 2050. Dubai has a nearer goal. The emirate aims for EVs to form more than 15% of its vehicle fleet by 2030.
Joseph Salem leads the consultancy’s travel and transport practice in the region. He said the ranking “reflects an EV market with growing visibility and a clear ecosystem direction”. He added that adoption is gaining momentum as investment in charging continues.
“The opportunity now is to keep aligning infrastructure, vehicle availability and customer needs to translate this momentum into broader market scale,” Salem said.
Who tops the global table?
China came first with a score of 106, while Norway followed closely on 103. These two were the only markets to pass 100. That’s the level Arthur D. Little uses to signal broad parity in readiness between electric and petrol or diesel cars.
Singapore ranked just behind with 96, and the Netherlands scored 90. By comparison, the UAE’s score of 53 shows how much ground remains to cover.
GEMRIX judges each market across several broad areas. These include economic conditions, the state of the EV market and its competition, and how ready customers are. It also looks at public charging, total cost of ownership and regulation.
Is there one path to mass adoption?
The report suggests there isn’t a single formula. Growth has sped up in parts of Europe, for example. Elsewhere, Türkiye, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Brazil are also gaining pace. However, each is doing so through its own mix of cheaper cars, charging, policy and local manufacturers.
The authors also expect the shift to vary by vehicle type. In some countries, pure battery cars may spread fastest. In others, plug-in hybrids and range-extended EVs could act as a bridge for some time yet.
Alexander Krug, a partner in the firm’s automotive practice, summed up that view. “The world will not become 100% electric at one speed or through one pathway,” he said. “Winners will read each ecosystem and act before the market opportunity is obvious.”
Why does China set the pace?
China shows how competition in the EV industry now reaches well beyond the car itself, the report says. Its lead combines large-scale manufacturing with battery and component supply chains. On top of that, it adds vehicle software, charging networks, energy costs, incentives and regulation.
Chinese carmakers are also expanding into emerging markets. According to Arthur D. Little, this shows how keen pricing, speed and locally suited products can challenge established brands.
Dr Philipp Seidel, a principal in the automotive practice, said Chinese success shows what happens when product, supply chains, infrastructure, energy and policy work “as one system”. As a result, he said, Chinese manufacturers increasingly dominate global markets by exporting whole EV ecosystems along with their cars.
What does this mean for UAE drivers?
For buyers in the UAE, the ranking points to a market that’s moving in the right direction. Sales are rising, and the charging network is growing steadily. Consequently, owning an EV should become more practical as more fast chargers appear.
Still, the gap to the leaders is wide. China and Norway score roughly twice as highly on the index. Closing that gap will depend on more model choice, lower running costs and chargers where people actually need them.
The country’s long-term targets give it a clear direction. The next few years will show whether that ambition turns into the kind of broad market scale Salem described.
