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Arthur D. Little’s 2026 Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index placed the United Arab Emirates 22nd among 31 assessed markets with a score of 53 out of a possible 100 that would indicate parity between electric vehicles and internal combustion engine models. The consultancy’s report released on September 24 identified the UAE as the strongest performer in the Gulf Cooperation Council, where the index evaluated macro factors, market competition, customer readiness, public charging infrastructure, total cost of ownership and regulation. A score of 53 reflects meaningful progress while underscoring that broader ecosystem elements now determine outcomes as much as the vehicles themselves.
Electric vehicles accounted for around 9 percent of new vehicle sales in the UAE during 2025 according to the Arthur D. Little assessment, with battery electric models comprising 6 to 8 percent and plug-in hybrids making up the remaining 2.5 percent. The country’s charging network has expanded to approximately 2,800 points including 1,250 direct current chargers and 350 high-power units the report stated. These figures illustrate accelerating infrastructure investment that supports the shift toward electric mobility across the federation.
The UAE maintains a target for electric and hybrid vehicles to represent 50 percent of all vehicles on its roads by 2050 according to the Arthur D. Little document. Dubai has set an interim goal for electric vehicles to exceed 15 percent of its fleet by 2030 the same assessment noted. Such national and emirate-level ambitions align with sustained policy support that the index credits for the country’s regional leadership.
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. He noted that adoption is gaining momentum alongside continued investment in charging infrastructure and long-term mobility ambitions in remarks carried by multiple outlets covering the report. Salem’s assessment underscores how regulatory clarity and infrastructure build-out have elevated the UAE above other Gulf states in the latest ranking.
The 2026 index marks an evolution from earlier editions according to Arthur D. Little, with greater weight now assigned to ecosystem components such as affordability, energy supply and consumer preparedness rather than vehicle technology alone. In the consultancy’s 2023 Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index the UAE had ranked seventh globally among 35 markets an earlier Arthur D. Little study found. The change in positioning and methodology reflects both intensified global competition and the broadening criteria used to measure preparedness.
Other Gulf Cooperation Council members trailed the UAE in the 2026 assessment according to the Arthur D. Little report though specific rankings for Saudi Arabia, Qatar and remaining states were not detailed in initial coverage. The consultancy has previously highlighted Qatar’s strong showing in prior indices where it placed ninth globally in 2023. Regional progress remains anchored in national visions that integrate electric mobility into broader sustainability and diversification objectives across the bloc.
The International Energy Agency projected global electric car sales to reach 23 million units in 2026, accounting for nearly 30 percent of worldwide vehicle sales. This outlook places the UAE’s 9 percent domestic penetration within a rapidly expanding international trend the agency outlined in its latest forecasts. Arthur D. Little advised policymakers to sustain focus on interconnected pillars of infrastructure, cost and acceptance to maintain the UAE’s leading position within the Gulf.
