Dubai: Dubai’s push for green mobility is gaining momentum as public charging infrastructure expands and electric vehicle adoption grows among residents.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) announced on Sunday that it aims to grow the city’s network of public charging stations by 170 per cent in less than three years. By 2025, EV green charging stations in Dubai will increase from the current 370, with more than 680 charging points, to 1,000 stations. Dubai’s move to green mobility received a strong boost in 2015 when DEWA launched its EV Green Charger Initiative as part of its Green Mobility Strategy 2030.
The number of EV owners registered under the initiative has increased from a mere 14 in 2015 to more than 11,000 by the end of May 2023. The figure is expected to double shortly. By 2030, Dubai aims to have over 42,000 electric cars on its roads.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA said, “Together with other Dubai entities and key stakeholders, DEWA has drawn out a strategic blueprint that reimagines the future of urban transportation in the emirate.”
He added, “As part of this broader framework, DEWA is working to create an accessible world-class infrastructure to advance the adoption of eco-friendly transportation. By encouraging electric vehicle usage, DEWA’s EV Green Charger Initiative contributes to reducing carbon emissions and fosters sustainable practices throughout Dubai.”
According to the Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index published last year, demand for EVs in the UAE is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 30 per cent between 2022 and 2028. The report Index ranked the country eighth globally regarding electric mobility readiness. Meanwhile, worldwide sales of electric cars are expected to surge by 35 per cent in 2023 to reach 14 million, and the share of the overall car market is set to increase to 18 per cent this year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
DEWA has deployed over 370 charging stations across Dubai in fuel stations, public parking chargers, wall chargers, and Dewa customer happiness centres and shopping malls. The stations offer various charging options, including ultra-fast, fast, direct current, public parking, and wall chargers.
DEWA’s EV Green Chargers have provided 13,264 MWh of electricity from 2015 to the end of 2022, powering a cumulative electric vehicle distance of over 66.3 million kilometres. By the end of 2022, the stations recorded over 720,000 charging sessions conducted by 9,653 registered electric vehicles.
The authority stated that DEWA’s efforts to boost the emirate’s public charging infrastructure have also resulted in the reduction of 236,700 tonnes of carbon emissions as of April 2023.
