United Arab Emirates, 1986 to 2066
23 dated events in ten lanes, from 2001 to 2030: how road vehicles in United Arab Emirates are powered, regulated, certified, traded and used, and what is already dated ahead.
All Dubai taxis to be hybrid, electric or hydrogen
Dubai aims for every taxi to be hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered by 2027, a target listed among the transport measures in the UAE's 2023 NDC.
Carsunfccc.int
Where it stands on 1 November 2026
How vehicles are approved
MoIAT (successor to ESMA since 2020) issues certificates of conformity against UAE and Gulf (GSO) technical regulations
Emission stages in force
New vehicles Euro 4, with a move to Euro 5/6 planned (2023 NDC); no separate 2W, truck or tractor stage confirmed
Safety rules and ratings
Heavy trucks and buses must have speed limiters; driverless robotaxis licensed by Abu Dhabi ITC (2025) and Dubai RTA (2026)
Zero-emission target
50% of vehicles electric by 2040 (2022 policy, as cited by Abu Dhabi Mobility); Dubai taxis all hybrid, electric or hydrogen by 2027
Net zero
2050
Market
No full-year national sales figure found; over 15,000 EVs registered in Abu Dhabi in Q1 2025 (+60%)
Fuel and charging
Diesel Euro 5 (10 ppm); fuel prices market-linked since 2015; DEWA aimed for 1,000 public chargers by 2025, Abu Dhabi plans 1,000 more; hydrogen station in Dubai since 2017
End of life
None found
Rulebook: Gulf GSO
Gulf (GSO) technical regulations. Not a party to the UN 1958 Agreement or the 1998 Agreement.
Also on this rulebook: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia.
Sources for this summary
Every event, lane by lane
23 events in time order within each lane. Few dated sources were found for vehicle safety, end of life and recycling, supply chain and materials.
Powertrain and batteriesTechnology
NWTN's Rabdan One certified 'Made in the Emirates'
On 9 Oct 2023 NWTN said Rabdan One, its first new-energy vehicle, assembled at its plant in Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi (KEZAD), had gained the 'Made in the Emirates' mark.
Carsmarklines.com
EVs reach about 9% of UAE new-vehicle sales
Arthur D. Little's 2026 Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index puts EVs at around 9% of new vehicle sales in the UAE in 2025; the UAE led the Gulf in the index.
Carskhaleejtimes.com
None for the vehicle you picked.
Software, data and automationTechnology
Dubai law sets licensing rules for autonomous vehicles
Law No. 9 of 2023, issued in April 2023, requires an RTA licence for any AV activity, sets registration tests, makes operators cover accident damage and allows fines up to AED 50,000.
Cars, vans and pickups, trucks, busesmediaoffice.ae
First national licence for self-driving cars
In July 2023 the UAE granted WeRide its first national licence for self-driving cars on public roads, covering road tests and autonomous operations across the country.
Carsgulfbusiness.com
Fully driverless commercial robotaxis in Abu Dhabi
On 26 November 2025 WeRide and Uber began Level 4 driverless paid rides under the first such licence from Abu Dhabi's Integrated Transport Centre, after a federal permit in October 2025.
Carsweride.ai
Dubai grants first fully driverless test permit to Apollo Go
On 7 Jan 2026 Dubai's RTA gave Baidu's Apollo Go its first permit to run fully autonomous vehicles on designated public roads without a safety driver; a trial permit, not a commercial licence.
Carsnasdaq.com
Ras Al Khaimah issues law regulating autonomous vehicles
Law No. 1 of 2026, announced on 19 Jan 2026, makes RAKTA the AV regulator and covers data governance, cybersecurity, operator duties, digital monitoring, reporting and safe-mode fallback.
Cars, vans and pickups, trucks, busesrakmediaoffice.ae
None for the vehicle you picked.
Energy and infrastructureTechnology
First hydrogen filling station opens in Dubai
Dubai opened a hydrogen filling station in October 2017; the National Hydrogen Strategy 2050 aims to make the UAE one of the largest hydrogen producers by 2031.
Carsuae-embassy.org
Dubai utility plans 1,000 public charge points by 2025
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority planned to grow its public EV charging network from 370 charge points to 1,000 by 2025.
Carselectrive.com medium confidence
Abu Dhabi plans 1,000 new public charge points
Abu Dhabi Mobility plans 1,000 charge points at 400 sites under the Charge AD brand (AED 0.70/kWh AC, 1.20 DC); over 15,000 EVs were registered in Abu Dhabi in Q1 2025, up 60%.
Carselectrive.com
None for the vehicle you picked.
Emissions and climateRegulation
Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative launched
In October 2021 the UAE embarked on a path to net-zero emissions by 2050 under its Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, as recorded in its 2023 NDC update.
All vehiclesunfccc.int medium confidence
Policy aims for half of vehicles to be electric
A 2022 policy aims for 50% of the country's vehicles to be electric by 2040, Abu Dhabi Mobility said in 2025; the 2023 NDC also cites a 2022 national battery-EV roadmap.
Carselectrive.com medium confidence
Updated NDC: 19% cut by 2030; new vehicles at Euro 4
The July 2023 NDC cuts 2030 emissions 19% below 2019 (to 182 Mt CO2e); new vehicles must meet Euro 4 with a move to Euro 5/6 planned, and diesel meets Euro 5 with 10 ppm sulphur.
Cars, vans and pickups, trucks, busesunfccc.int
None for the vehicle you picked.
Vehicle safetyRegulation
No dated event found in the sources opened.
None for the vehicle you picked.
End of life and recyclingRegulation
No dated event found in the sources opened.
None for the vehicle you picked.
Approval, testing and qualityCertification
Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology set up
Federal Law No. 28 of 2001 created ESMA to provide standards, metrology, conformity assessment and accreditation services; it merged into the new industry ministry in July 2020.
All vehiclesen.wikipedia.org medium confidence
GCC Standardization Organization created for Gulf-wide rules
The GCC Supreme Council (Muscat, 30-31 December 2001) set up the GSO to adopt Gulf technical regulations, conformity marks and certificates; Gulf technical rules need unanimous member approval.
All vehiclesgso.org.sa
Industry ministry takes over standards and conformity
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, set up in July 2020, absorbed ESMA; it issues certificates of conformity with technical requirements and sells UAE and GSO standards.
All vehiclesmoiat.gov.ae medium confidence
None for the vehicle you picked.
Trade and marketCommercial
Fuel prices linked to world markets as subsidies end
A 2015 reform removed petrol and diesel subsidies and linked pump prices to international prices; the 2023 NDC lists it among transport mitigation measures.
Cars, vans and pickups, trucks, busesunfccc.int
Uber agrees to buy Dubai-based Careem for $3.1bn
Careem, founded in Dubai in 2012 and active in 14 markets including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, agreed a sale to Uber for $1.4bn in cash and $1.7bn in notes, due to close in Q1 2020.
Carsventurebeat.com
None for the vehicle you picked.
Supply chain and materialsCommercial
No dated event found in the sources opened.
None for the vehicle you picked.
Mobility and customersCommercial
Uber and WeRide start a robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi
WeRide robotaxis became bookable on the Uber app in Abu Dhabi in December 2024; the firms called it the largest commercial robotaxi service outside the US and China.
Carsweride.ai
Dubai Taxi orders 200 BYD Seal electric cars
Dubai Taxi Company, with about 6,000 taxis, ordered 200 BYD Seal EVs; over 86% of its fleet is hybrid, electric or hydrogen, and DTC wants an all-electric taxi fleet by 2040.
Carselectrive.com
Driverless fare-paying robotaxis start in Dubai
On 2 April 2026 WeRide and Uber began fully driverless paid rides in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim under an RTA permit granted in February 2026, after supervised trials from December 2025.
Carsweride.ai
All Dubai taxis to be hybrid, electric or hydrogenDated ahead
Dubai aims for every taxi to be hybrid, electric or hydrogen-powered by 2027, a target listed among the transport measures in the UAE's 2023 NDC.
Carsunfccc.int
A quarter of Dubai trips to be smart and driverlessDated ahead
Dubai targets 25% of all trips to be smart and driverless by 2030, a goal listed among the transport measures in the UAE's 2023 NDC.
All vehiclesunfccc.int
None for the vehicle you picked.