In an unprecedented move, the UAE’s leading diversified business group, Al-Futtaim laid down a strong marker in the country’s green mobility landscape through significant announcements made at their Future Mobility Day event, held on the 15th of March 2023 at Ain Dubai Plaza, Bluewaters.
Already an established and prominent name in multiple industries, including automotive, Al-Futtaim now firmly set sights on staying at the forefront of the UAE’s fast-expanding e-mobility sector. With the UAE declaring 2023 to be the ‘Year of Sustainability’, and the country welcoming world-leaders later in the year at the United Nations’ Conference of the Parties (COP28) Climate Change Conference – green mobility has become a priority agenda, with the UAE government committing to more zero-emission solutions and investments under the UAE Net-Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative.
Al-Futtaim announced three major unveilings, all leading to their future mobility vision. The first announcement was the launch of their Electric Mobility Company – and the UAE’s first ever e-mobility focused dealership. The company will operate as an individual entity, with a team of global talents pooling their expertise in electric vehicle, hybrid and automotive, led by a newly appointed Managing Director, Hasan Nergiz.
With the vast experience and resources of Al-Futtaim, the new company is slated to grow fast in a sector already seeing a surge in demand; with the UAE’s EV market expected to grow at a CAGR of 30% until 20281. The UAE has one of the highest levels of EV acceptability, as 30% of the UAE residents strongly consider buying an EV to contribute to the green transition1. The UAE also has one of the highest charging-station-to-vehicle ratios in the world, with 325 charging stations currently and plans to increase this number significantly in the coming years1.
At the event, Hasan Nergiz, Managing Director, Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company shared, “Beyond selling EV cars, the new company represents a remarkable leap in the automotive sector and the way we steer the future of the business. Our vision is to redefine the way customers perceive electric and hybrid, and to give everyone in the UAE open access to advanced technologies and new-age, sustainable driving experiences. Now more than ever is the right time to launch this electric mobility company, with the growing customer demand and the government imperative on green technologies. We can only fulfil the new company’s vision by bringing a portfolio of world-class brands, cutting-edge innovations, end-to-end solutions and the unparalleled service standards that customers have become accustomed to with Al-Futtaim.”
The new Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company also announced their first NEV (New Energy Vehicle) partner, which was the second significant announcement of the day. The UAE will now be the first country in the Middle East to have the industry-defining BYD vehicles touring its streets, with Al-Futtaim being named as BYD’s representative in the UAE.
BYD is the world’s leading new energy vehicle manufacturer, having sold an extraordinary volume of 1.86 million NEVs worldwide in 2022 alone and more than 3 million NEVs to date. They remain one of the most successful manufacturers of electric and hybrid worldwide, and the only company to produce the full EV industrial chain including batteries, electric motors, electronic controllers, and semi-conductors. BYD has already launched and is operating successfully in several advanced markets like Europe, USA, Japan and Korea.
Holding an impressive 26,000 globally approved patents, BYD’s automotive success is driven by their ground-breaking Blade Battery, a proprietary technology that they claim to be the most advanced battery and nearly five years ahead of the industry. The Blade Battery is undisputed in terms of efficiency, safety, and range, having been tested in extreme conditions – including being heated in a furnace to 300°C, overcharged to 260% and tested over a run of 100,000 kilometers in the UAE summer.
Two BYD models, Han and Atto 3, were unveiled at the Future Mobility Day event, with more detailed announcements on the models expected in a few months and plans to launch four models (EVs and plug-in hybrids) by the end of this year. A dedicated product launch is already planned for the third quarter of the year.
AD Huang, General Manager, BYD, shared at the event, “BYD has built a reputation for delivering high-quality, safe and truly revolutionary new energy vehicle experiences, but our commitment to sustainability goes beyond that. We have imbibed the climate change agenda into the core DNA of our company through our ‘Cool The Earth by 1°C’ mission. As of February 2023, we have saved over 29 billion kgs of carbon emissions, and this continues with our introduction of bringing better and more zero carbon solutions into the UAE. Al-Futtaim is a prevailing name for excellence in customer-service and world-class products, making them the obvious choice for our mobility partner in the region.”
To enable more and more people in the UAE to make the shift to EVs, the new Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company re-emphasized the importance of having the full end-to-end solution for customers. Following this customer-centricity approach, the company also announced its partnership with the global technology pioneer, Siemens, to create Charge2Moov charging stations. The product has currently launched for EV customers, with plans to extend into public charging solutions to add to the fast-growing EV infrastructure within the country.
The charging stations come with a 5-year warranty and are suitable for all electric vehicle models and brands.
Helmut von Strove, CEO, Siemens Middle East, commended Al-Futtaim on their visionary new launch and added, “At Siemens, we strongly believe in the ecosystem approach, because it delivers the greatest benefits to our customers, society, and the environment. Moments like these are exciting – when we work with companies that have a bold and clear vision to deploy technology that reduces energy consumption and curb carbon emissions. We are proud to be entrusted with providing the technology that helps Charge2Moov serve its customers – from the fast chargers in the stations to the wall units in homes.”
The Al-Futtaim company is committed to architecting a whole new EV ecosystem, built around the customers. They are also in progress to launch a unique EV after-sales hub to strengthen the customer offering and give EV customers the confidence that the Al-Futtaim name and network is always there to support them in their new electric journey.
Established in the 1930s, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.