Analysis Finance UAE car insurers boycott Teslas over high repair costs Insurance companies are refusing to offer fully comprehensive insurance cover for Tesla electric vehicles in the UAE because of the huge cost of repairs, a lack of repair expertise and an increased number of accidents. “The repair invoice for Tesla is almost three times as much as an average car,” said Issam Mouslimani, goodwill ambassador […] June 7, 2024
Transport Saudi deal with Lucid powers up EV charging network US electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid has partnered with a Saudi government entity to create a much-needed network of charging hubs around the Gulf state. There were less than 1,000 electric cars on the roads in Saudi Arabia in 2023. Saudi-backed Lucid signed an agreement on May 29 with the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Company (EVIQ), which […] May 30, 2024
Renewable Energy Adnoc Distribution targets 200 EV stations this year Adnoc Distribution, the UAE’s largest fuel and convenience retailer, is planning to more than double the number of fast electric vehicle (EV) charging stations as part of its five-year expansion strategy. The company has 90 fast EV charging points and aims to reach 150-200 by the end of the year, the UAE state-run Wam news […] May 29, 2024
Renewable Energy UAE to roll out countrywide EV fast charger network The UAE is speeding up the expansion of its electric vehicle charger infrastructure in support of the energy transition, the shift from fossil-based systems of energy production. UAEV, a joint venture between the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and Etihad Water and Electricity that was announced on Monday, intends to build a network of high-performance […] May 20, 2024
Industry Chinese carmakers ‘taking Gulf by storm’ Chinese carmakers now claim a sizeable chunk of new car sales in the Gulf and it is likely they will increase their market share further by wooing regional consumers through their vehicles’ innovative designs and perceived value for money. That is the prediction of Amir Khurshid, CEO of Saudi Arabia’s ThinkDirect Automotive Consulting and an […] May 20, 2024
Transport Deal signed to build electric bus factory in Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is planning a factory to manufacture and build electric buses and trucks. The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development has signed an agreement with Emirates Global Industries, part of Alfahim Group, for the project. The agreement also includes plans to establish manufacturing facilities to meet the anticipated growth in demand for energy storage […] May 9, 2024
Manufacturing Lucid cuts electric car prices but posts higher revenue Saudi-backed US electric vehicle maker Lucid reported first-quarter revenue above analysts’ estimates this week as it sets to produce more cars this year but selling at cheaper prices to spur sales. The Nasdaq-listed EV company had cut prices of its flagship Air sedans in February by up to 10 percent, as customers globally began to […] May 7, 2024
Manufacturing EV imports rise in Saudi Arabia, but only to 779 cars Saudi imports of electric vehicles rose sharply in 2023 – but to a total of just 779 EVs, despite government hopes that it can become a green economy leader through the manufacture and use of electric cars. The kingdom imported only 210 EVs in 2022, showing the mountain it has to climb to realise ambitions […] April 16, 2024
Analysis Renewable Energy Lithium’s highs and lows – and what they mean for the Gulf For one of the world’s most critical minerals, the past two years have been the best of times and the worst of times. First, lithium prices shot skywards, hitting around $80,000 per metric tonne in 2022 amid fears that global supply would not meet demand. Then, in just a year, the soft, silvery-white metal lost […] April 12, 2024
Manufacturing Lucid price cuts result in record EV sales The Saudi-backed US electric vehicle (EV) maker Lucid set a new quarterly sales record for its luxury models in the first quarter of 2024. Shares in Lucid, which has funding from the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), rose by 3 percent on Tuesday after it announced the delivery of almost 2,000 Lucid Air models. The […] April 10, 2024
Manufacturing Homegrown Togg dominates EV sales in Turkey Turkey’s domestic electric vehicle (EV) brand Togg dominated sales within the country during the first quarter of 2024. Togg achieved sales of 4,145 units, state-owned Anadolu Agency reported, quoting data from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association. EV sales surged by 276 percent to 14,158 units during the quarter ended March 31, 2024. Consequently, the share […] April 5, 2024
Manufacturing US battery manufacturer to build $3bn factory in Rakez The American battery manufacturer Statevolt is to construct a $3 billion factory in Ras Al Khaimah. Statevolt Emirates, as the venture will be known, will generate up to 2,500 jobs at its 60 hectare facility in Al Ghail Industrial Zone in Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (Rakez). The manufacturing facility is “strategically focused on key […] April 3, 2024
Transport UAE motorists fuelling demand for second-hand EVs Demand for second-hand electric vehicles in the UAE may be in its infancy but it is accelerating fast as more people turn to the environmentally friendly option. Electric vehicles (EVs) now account for around 1 percent of the UAE’s used car market and a little over 1 percent of all cars in the country, according […] March 26, 2024
Opinion Transport If EVs can make it here, they can make it anywhere The battery powered car is on the up, even in the oil-soaked Gulf March 25, 2024
Renewable Energy Energy transition strategy ‘visibly failing’, says Aramco CEO Saudi Aramco’s chief executive believes the current global energy transition strategy is “visibly failing on most fronts” and needs an urgent reset. Despite $9.5 trillion of investment in the past two decades, other energy sources have still not scaled up sufficiently to offer an alternative to hydrocarbons, Amin Nasser told the CERAWeek by S&P Global […] March 19, 2024
Aviation Air taxi makers promise Dubai-Abu Dhabi commute in 30 minutes Flying cars could cut the commute between Dubai and Abu Dhabi to 30 minutes next year after a deal between Archer Aviation of the US and the UAE’s Falcon Aviation. Under the agreement, the two will develop air taxi vertiports at the Falcon heliport at Atlantis the Palm in Dubai and the Marina Mall heliport […] March 12, 2024
Opinion Leisure & Hospitality Dubai becomes the centre of the Rolls-Royce universe The Gulf's long love affair with the elite motor car is made official March 8, 2024
Manufacturing Stellantis hails Middle East and Africa sales surge Multinational car maker Stellantis has announced that its 2023 Middle East and Africa revenues grew by 64 percent year on year to more than $11.5 billion. Stellantis is one of the world’s biggest automakers – its brands include Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Peugeot and Vauxhall. It said shipments to the region totalled 616,100, up 43 […] March 6, 2024
Manufacturing Abu Dhabi plans lithium plant to support EV growth A $1.4 billion lithium processing plant is being planned in Abu Dhabi by Kezad Group and Titan Lithium, a UAE-based company, to support the region’s fledgling electric vehicle (EV) industry. Kezad (Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi) and Titan have signed a 50-year land lease agreement for the AED5 billion plant. The plant, to be developed […] February 14, 2024
Analysis Manufacturing Saudi Arabia joins the dots from minerals to manufacturing Consider for a moment how many different steps there are between digging a lump of iron ore out of the ground in Mauritania and pressing the starter button on a new electric vehicle (EV) in Riyadh. The ore must be mined, concentrated, combined with other elements, put through a furnace, a casting machine, cold- or […] February 13, 2024
Sustainability Dubai records 59% surge in EV charging sessions in 2023 Dubai recorded a 59 percent year-on-year increase in electric vehicle (EV) charging sessions last year, as green mobility rapidly accelerates in the emirate. The EV green charger initiative recorded 1,145,427 charging sessions in 2023, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said in a statement. Through this initiative, the Dubai utility provider provided 23419.821 megawatt hours (MWh) of […] February 5, 2024
Manufacturing US commercial EV company to launch UAE factory Californian commercial electric vehicle manufacturer HummingbirdEV has announced plans to establish a micro-factory in the UAE. The highly automated manufacturing facility aims to accelerate adoption of commercial electric vehicles (EV) in the Middle East and North Africa, southeast Asia and India. HummingbirdEV said the factory will produce commercial EVs for an existing e-commerce customer as […] January 31, 2024