The electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in the UAE is set for a boost later this year with the opening of a charging hub which will provide what has been described as a super-premium experience beyond standard stationary charging stands.
Developed by UAEV, the country's dedicated EV charging company, the site is expected to be the first of its kind in UAE and will feature green landscaping, fountains and an automatic queuing system, combining sustainability with sleek user design.
The hub is capable of servicing 20 EVs simultaneously and is expected to launch before the end of 2025.
While further details of the hub will be unveiled at an official announcement expected in the next two months, The National can reveal that the first hub will launch in Ajman this year, with another to follow in Dubai in 2026.
"This is a first-of-its-kind in the UAE," said Hicham Ezzahid, chief executive of UAEV, speaking at the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit (EVIS) taking place this week in Abu Dhabi. Through the "flagship hub", Mr Ezzahid hopes to see EV charging become more of an experience than a utility.
Heiko Seitz, global and Middle East eMobility leader at PwC, told The National that such experiential establishments are important in creating educational awareness. "People need to be aware that this is actually a positive product, a product that gives them a certain lifestyle, that gives them convenience," said Mr Seitz.
Mr Seitz said such hubs will serve as a showcase for the industry, which could encourage further electric vehicle adoption. "They're going to be like flagships for the industry, where people see cars charging and say, 'that actually works. I can do that as well'," he said. "These things are important for the consumer, and they're an important blueprint for other investors. And, other charge point investors will want to follow suit."
The hub is part of UAEV's broader goal to install 1,000 public charging stations able to cater to varying numbers of vehicles across all seven emirates by 2030. More than 95 per cent of these are planned to be high-speed units, with next-generation ultra-fast chargers capable of delivering a full top-up in as little as 10 minutes in newer electric vehicle models.
Currently charge time can vary, depending on the vehicle and charging station, from 18 minutes to eight hours. In 2024, UAEV rolled out 120 new charging ports across the northern emirates. This year, another 200 ports are planned, mainly in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Strategic partnerships aim to ease EV transition
To support electric vehicle adoption, UAEV has signed a new agreement with AW Rostamani Group, the automotive distributor behind Chinese EV brand Zeekr and the modernised Smart car line-up. Under the partnership, new buyers of Zeekr and Smart vehicles will receive charging credits redeemable across UAEV's network.
Mr Seitz said this strategy is seen in Tesla models in the US, which offer free supercharging to encourage adoption. In December, UAEV announced that it had set tariffs for the faster Direct Current (DC) chargers at Dh1.2 per kilowatt-hour, and for Alternating Current (AC) chargers at Dh0.7 per kilowatt-hour.
Sandeep Arora, director of strategy and business excellence at AWR, said the deal reflects a market that is rapidly moving towards an EV tipping point. "If you look at the global trends, there is always a tipping point when the acceptance of electric cars increases. We believe that tipping point is the moment one fifth of the cars sold in the market are electric cars," he said.
"Electric car numbers have grown by five times in the last five years. We believe the tipping point – where EV adoption really takes off – is just a couple of years away."
Electric vehicle penetration in the UAE started to take off in 2023, with a sharp increase in the number of EVs making up the number of cars on the Emirates' roads to 11 per cent in 2023, up from 3.7 per cent the previous year.
"We already have close to 150,000 electric vehicles on the roads of UAE." said Mr Seitz.
From prospective buyers to EV adopters
Launched in May 2024, with an initial capital investment of Dh60 million, UAEV's primary purpose is to develop and expand a fast and accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Range anxiety, the term which refers to fears about how far a vehicle can travel without running out of battery, and the time it takes to charge a vehicle, remain the two main barriers on the way to EV adoption.
Mr Ezzahid told The National that the company's strategy is not just to increase the number of stations, but to distribute them evenly enough to eliminate range anxiety. Both Mr Ezzahid and Mr Arora agree that the electric vehicle market in the UAE is moving faster than expected, and that electric vehicles could make up 30 per cent of cars on the roads ahead of the government's 2030 target.
Mr Seitz, meanwhile, notes that the market has already reached a certain level of maturity. He adds that mass adoption will come when more charging infrastructure is rolled out.
%E2%80%98White%20Elephant%E2%80%99
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jesse%20V%20Johnson%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Rooker%2C%20Bruce%20Willis%2C%20John%20Malkovich%2C%20Olga%20Kurylenko%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETamer%20Ruggli%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadine%20Labaki%2C%20Fanny%20Ardant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clinicy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Prince%20Mohammed%20Bin%20Abdulrahman%2C%20Abdullah%20bin%20Sulaiman%20Alobaid%20and%20Saud%20bin%20Sulaiman%20Alobaid%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Riyadh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2025%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%20raised%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20More%20than%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Middle%20East%20Venture%20Partners%2C%20Gate%20Capital%2C%20Kafou%20Group%20and%20Fadeed%20Investment%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
LIKELY TEAMS
South Africa
Faf du Plessis (captain), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Lungi Ngidi.
India (from)
Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wkt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
