Dominic Shales

The electric vehicle (EV) industry in the Middle East is gaining momentum, with market players like BYD making bold moves to reshape transportation in the region. Hasan Nergiz, Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company, shared his insights on the EV revolution during a recent interview with Mashable Mornings. From consumer adoption challenges to groundbreaking technologies, here’s how BYD is leading the charge.Rising EV Interest Amid Market Hurdles While EV adoption in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is still in its early stages, consumer interest is high. Surveys conducted by Al-Futtaim reveal that “between 65% to 85%” of consumers are open to purchasing EVs within the next 12-24 months. Yet, market penetration remains modest — 3-5% in the UAE and less than 1% in Saudi Arabia. Nergiz attributes this to key barriers such as limited charging infrastructure, range anxiety, and challenging home charger installations in high-rise buildings. “The building hasn’t been built with that in mind,” he explained. “The cost of upgrading the power and putting all these cables is difficult.” However, new government policies are accelerating infrastructure development. “The UAE now has about 800 public chargers, making it one of the top five globally in EV-to-charger ratios,” Nergiz said, highlighting how policy changes are encouraging private investments in charging infrastructure.Building Trust Through Partnerships Entering a new market can be daunting for any EV brand. When BYD first entered the Middle East, consumer trust was a challenge. Partnering with Al-Futtaim, a trusted local brand, proved crucial. “We heard about BYD; we don’t know so much. The car is great, but I can’t trust it,” Nergiz recalled...