The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Audi Middle East, and Siemens have signed an agreement that will significantly increase the adoption of electric vehicles as well as the availability of EV charging stations on federal roads.
Siemens will install ten ultra-fast chargers on highways in Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujairah as part of the agreement. All cloud-connected devices will enable operators to remotely monitor and manage the chargers.
Audi, as the largest manufacturer of EVs among Germany's three premium brands, will also be involved in ambitious infrastructure development plans across the UAE.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has set up more than 325 charging stations throughout the emirate as the number of EV owners increases throughout the nation. By 2025, it wants to see this number reach over 1,000 stations.
The UAE ministry's partnership with Siemens and Audi comes as more UAE citizens switch to environmentally friendly EVs in response to rising gasoline prices in the UAE and throughout the world.
Electric vehicle demand has increased exponentially over the last year, particularly in 2022, as global crude oil prices remain above $100 per barrel. While prices in the UAE, which are in line with global markets, reached an all-time high of Dh4 per litre in June 2022. Petrol prices in the UAE increased by more than 56% between January and June 2022.
According to Amjad Nasr, managing director of New Auto, demand for EVs has increased by 200 percent over the previous year because charging EVs is much cheaper than regular cars.
"Charging EVs is significantly less expensive than filling up with gasoline. A regular car's tank costs Dh200-250 to fill. So filling the tank 8 to 10 times a month equals Dh2,000, which the car owner can use to pay the monthly instalment on his EV "He stated.
Nasr also stated that motorists who frequently commute between emirates are finding it difficult to own a fuel car because they drive large gas-guzzlers, so they are switching to electric cars.
According to Sharif Salim Al Olama, under-secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Industry, the UAE is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, and electric vehicles are a critical component of this effort. Providing fast, efficient, and convenient EV charging infrastructure is a critical step in the energy transition.
Audi Middle East managing director Carsten Bender stated that the agreement demonstrates the company's commitment to electrification in the UAE.
"Through this collaboration, we look forward to developing solutions that will serve EV customers in the UAE based around the newest technology and charging solutions, such as the Audi Charge Hub concept. We have been quite open about our commitment to electrification in the region." he added.