China’s EV brand BYD launches in UAE, signs up with Al Futtaim Electric Mobility Co.

China’s EV brand BYD launches in UAE, signs up with Al Futtaim Electric Mobility Co.

Dubai: The Chinese electric carmaker BYD is launching in the UAE through an alliance with Al-Futtaim, thus opening more options and price range for UAE’s car owners when it comes to EVs. BYD recorded unit sales of 1.86 million NEVs (or New Energy Vehicle) in 2022, and sees the Gulf markets as offering the right sort of conditions to pursue more growth outside of China. The models are already retailing in Europe, Japan, South Korea and the US. As with Tesla, BYD too takes direct control over all aspects of the production and the battery to power the vehicles. As for Al Futtaim, the company has launched a new entity – Al Futtaim Electric Mobility Company – to oversee what should be an expanding interest in the EV space. “The new company was not just created to respond to a market demand,” said Hasan Nergiz, Managing Director for the entity. “It has been created to address a growing call from global governments, and especially the UAE leadership, to create actionable strategies for sustainable mobility and make a valuable contribution towards Net Zero objectives. "e-mobility is the inevitable future, and we must act now to ensure we continue to succeed in