Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
In a move to boost electric vehicle (EV) adoption across the UAE, Emarat EV Charging Stations Company (UAEV) has signed a strategic agreement with AW Rostamani Group (AWR Group).
The partnership, announced during the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit (EVIS 2025), aims to make EV ownership more convenient and attractive for consumers nationwide.
UAEV – a joint venture between the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and Etihad Water and Electricity – will work with AWR Group, the exclusive distributor of next-generation EV brands Zeekr and smart, to provide EV buyers with complimentary charging credits. These credits, easily activated via the UAEV app, will grant customers seamless access to UAEV's rapidly expanding nationwide charging network.
This collaboration is aligned with the UAE's Net Zero 2050 Strategy and National Electric Vehicles Policy, which seek to promote sustainable, low-emission transport solutions.
"This partnership marks a significant milestone in our mission to make electric vehicle adoption easier, more rewarding, and truly accessible for everyone in the UAE. These types of collaborations not only enhance the ownership experience but also accelerate the nation's transition to clean mobility," Hicham Ezzahid, CEO of UAEV, said.
"Strategic partnerships like this are essential to building long-term consumer trust in electric transportation. When infrastructure and innovation move in lockstep, adoption becomes a natural outcome," he added.
UAEV currently operates 122 charging ports, including a significant number of ultra-fast chargers, with plans to expand that number to 300 by the end of 2025.
As the largest EV charging network in the Northern Emirates, UAEV is rapidly growing its footprint across the country. Its strategically placed high-speed DC stations are designed to give EV drivers the freedom to travel with confidence, addressing concerns around range and charging availability.
In an interview with Aletihad, Ezzahid explained that New Zeekr and smart EV owners will receive a full year of free charging across the UAEV network, eliminating a key barrier to adoption, "We want people to feel confident making the switch. They won't need to worry about how or where to charge for the first year; it's all taken care of."
Sanaa Ouahmane, CEO of the Mobility Services division at AW Rostamani Group, said, "This is more than a business collaboration- it's a strategic alliance that puts customer education, accessibility and sustainability at the forefront. We are not just supporting electric vehicles adoption, we're enabling a new standard for how people move."
She added that AW Rostamani Group is committed to supporting the UAE's vision for a net-zero future.
Speaking with Aletihad, Sandeep Arora, Director of Strategy & Business Excellence at AWR Group, noted that this partnership bridges a critical market gap.
"As a distributor, our role is to bring the vehicles in. But infrastructure is the missing piece. Together with UAEV, we're filling that gap by offering customers charging credits that could reduce their charging costs by as much as 60%," Arora said.
By easing range anxiety and improving infrastructure access, the partnership is expected to contribute significantly to national sustainability targets. The combined efforts of UAEV and AWR Group are projected to help reduce more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030.
