The rapid growth of electric vehicle (EV) adoption has intensified the need for scalable, reliable, and strategically planned charging infrastructure, particularly in emerging EV markets such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. While prior studies often focus on policy targets and infrastructure deployment statistics, limited research evaluates infrastructure adequacy relative to adoption growth and long-term sustainability objectives. This study develops a mixed-method analytical framework that integrates longitudinal EV sales data (2015–2025), charger deployment statistics, charger-to-vehicle ratio analysis, policy evaluation, and techno-economic comparison of AC and DC charging systems. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is examined as a regional case study using official datasets from international agencies and national authorities. The results indicate that although EV sales have expanded rapidly, infrastructure deployment has experienced periods of lag, reflected in declining charger-to-vehicle ratios before recent stabilization through anticipatory planning aligned with the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategy. The study further demonstrates that balanced integration of slow and fast charging technologies, supported by coordinated public–private partnerships and regulatory reform, is critical to ensuring infrastructure adequacy, user confidence, and grid stability. By distinguishing descriptive reporting from structured analytical evaluation, this research contributes a transferable assessment framework for EV infrastructure planning in rapidly developing energy-transition economies. The findings provide policy-relevant insights for sustainable transport electrification across the GCC region.
- Open Access
- Article
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Trends Costs and Policy Impacts in the UAE
- Ahmed Galal Abokhalil
Author Information
Received: 11 Jan 2026 | Revised: 12 Feb 2026 | Accepted: 25 Feb 2026 | Published: 06 Mar 2026
Abstract
Keywords
electric vehicles | EV charging infrastructure | fast charging | sustainable transportation | UAE green mobility
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