Siemens, a German engineering firm, is open to establishing additional agreements with car manufacturers to create electric vehicle chargers and related infrastructure in the UAE.

The company, which signed an agreement with the UAE's Ministry of Energy and Audi in June to build a nationwide network of EV chargers, is looking for similar partnerships as an increasing number of UAE motorists switch to electric vehicles, according to Franco Atassi, Siemens Middle East's chief executive of smart infrastructure.

"We have become actual partners of many organisations here, including vehicle manufacturers," Mr Atassi added.

Siemens will instal ten Sicharge D 160-kilowatt ultra-fast chargers on highways in Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujairah as part of a partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. According to Mr. Atassi, such advancements would "motivate" people to buy and operate EVs.

"The infrastructure is still in its early stages, but we see mall and high-rise apartment developers including facilities for EV charging as they design and build," Mr Atassi explained.

According to Arthur D Little, the UAE is among the top ten nations in the world as a market orientated toward electric transportation.

According to the consultancy's Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index 2022, the country's electric vehicle industry, which is presently in its early phases, is expected to develop at a 30% annual pace between 2022 and 2028.

While the government is working to establish EV infrastructure, exorbitant prices have discouraged drivers from converting to electric vehicles. However, the advent of new market competitors, as well as the recent significant spike in gasoline prices, have made EVs more appealing.

"Electric automobiles will soon be within the grasp of the "ordinary Joe". "Technology has advanced, batteries have improved, and more manufacturers are now competing in the [EV] race," Mr Atassi explained.

EV owners spend 60% less on fuel than owners of internal combustion engine vehicles, according to a 2020 Consumer Reports research. According to the report, a typical driver would save $6,000 to $10,000 over the course of owning an EV against a comparable petrol-powered vehicle.