How the electric car industry can keep up with demand: Business Extra

Electric car sales have surged this year after breaking a record last year, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.

The transport sector's electrification is a fast-growing trend amid the global push to net zero carbon emissions.

However, for EVs, rising prices of critical minerals required for battery manufacturing and supply chain disruptions, present obstacles to meeting these ambitions.

Orral Nadjari, chief executive and founder of Glencore-backed battery maker Britishvolt, discussed the risks and opportunities the industry is currently facing, with hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner.

In this episode

The reality of supply and demand of EVs (0m 13s)

Challenges of producing an EV (4m 49s)

Environmental concerns around battery production (7m 57s)

Local production and the impact of accelerated demand (13m 45s)

Half of all UAE residents consider switching to electric vehicles, survey finds

Electric car maker Lucid raises prices of most models by up to 13%

US to spend more than $3bn on electric vehicle battery manufacturing, White House says

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 Book of Collateral Damage

Sinan Antoon

(Yale University Press)