E-Mobility, A New Reality: UAE Residents Expect Complete Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Domination In A Few Years, Reveals Survey Amidst COP28

• 63% of respondents plan to make EVs their primary mode of transport by 2025.
• 73% confident the UAE will have charging stations every few kilometres by 2028.
• 28% believe that by 2030, nearly 50% of the UAE's population will be driving EVs or hybrid cars

DUBAI, UAE, Dec. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Al-Futtaim Automotive, one of the major divisions of Al-Futtaim Group - the Strategic E-Mobility Partner of the recently concluded COP28, today unveiled the findings of an extensive survey exploring the challenges and perceptions of UAE residents towards Electric Vehicles (EV) adoption. The survey was conducted in partnership with YouGov, collating responses from 2,008 respondents.

Al-Futtaim Automotive Survey Infographic

The survey revealed significant shifts in perspectives underscoring the changing landscape of transportation preferences, starting with 64% sharing that they are concerned about the environmental impact of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles; a fact clearly reinforced in their strong interest to shift to electric vehicles in the coming years.

Huge Wave Of Interest in EVs

• 26% of those who currently do not own an EV are interested in purchasing one in the next 12 months, while 50% said 'maybe' to consider shifting to an EV in the same period, signaling a growing inclination towards electric vehicles.
• A staggering 63% plan to make EVs their primary mode of transport within the next 6 months to 2 years, indicating a far swifter move towards sustainable mobility.
• The huge interest in EVs is also a measure of the strong customer confidence in the UAE's charging infrastructure growth; 7 out of 10 residents predict that the UAE will have EV charging stations every few kilometres in the next five years.
• Customers also predicted a widespread electric future in the UAE; nearly one-third of the respondents anticipate that 30–50% of the UAE's population will be driving EVs or hybrid cars by 2030.

Katib Belkhodja, Customer Centricity Director, Al-Futtaim Automotive, commented on the survey, "Firstly, the results surpassed all our expectations. With 63% of respondents unequivocally choosing to make electric vehicles their primary mode of transportation, the results are not only overwhelmingly positive but also comprehensively reflect the evolving perceptions of the UAE customers towards electric mobility. It was very important for us at Al-Futtaim Automotive to conduct this survey, and get an accurate understanding of the customer mindset, especially against the backdrop of COP28."

The Survey Also Highlighted Key Barriers To EV Adoption

• Primary hurdles to EV adoption include safety concerns (49%), servicing costs (44%), lack of charging infrastructure (41%), battery longevity (41%), and resale value (32%). 
• Furthermore, 68% of the respondents believe that EVs are more expensive than regular fuel cars, a factor that could also discourage customers from making the shift.
• EV charging is a major anxiety trigger, particularly as 44% residents cannot install a charging station at home.

Katib Belkhodja further added: "While there are still some barriers to overcome, the results have strengthened our belief in the e-mobility strategies we are currently pursuing. Our commitment to develop the electric mobility ecosystem - covering a wide EV portfolio, our own charging station (Charge2Moov) as well as e-mobility training for aftersales - directly answers most of the concerns obstructing widespread electric adoption. We are the only automotive group in the region committed to delivering this integrated, end-to-end EV offering, and we are confident that we will be able to accelerate the green transition as well as fulfill our pledge to deliver 50% New Energy Vehicles and install 10% of the country's charging stations by 2030."

"Our main objective now is to democratize the EV landscape by offering a wide choice of electric mobility products at diverse price and performance capabilities, and this specifically addresses a key price perception that majority of the customers have with regards to costs of EVs vs. conventional fuel cars."  

Influential Factors Prompting The Shift To EVs

Faster charging time (54%), more charging stations (54%) advancements in battery technology (54%) and a longer driving range (52%) top the list as the crucial factors that will influence their decisions and encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles.

Al-Futtaim Automotive's e-mobility ecosystem was showcased at COP28, featuring the best-in-class electric models from their brand portfolio, which includes Polestar, Volvo Cars, BYD, Volvo Group's compact electric excavator (electric construction equipment), Charge2Moov charging station and River (electric two-wheeler). The stand offered audiences a chance to witness the growth trajectory of green mobility within the UAE as well as experience the tangible products, solutions and innovations that the company is introducing to making sustainable mobility an everyday reality.