116 Million Electric Vehicles To Hit Roads Globally In 2026 UAE Incentivises Drivers To Switch

Electric vehicle use is set to grow 30 per cent globally in 2026, with a projection of 116 million electric vehicles to be on the roads, according to latest research by an insights firm. This includes electric cars, buses, vans, and heavy trucks.

Gartner, a research and advisory firm, published the report earlier last month, and forecasted that battery electric vehicles will jump to 76 million installed bases in 2026, up from 59 million in 2025.

EV installed base is a metric used to determine the number of electric vehicles used on the roads, usually by counting the total number of EV charging stations.

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Jonathan Davenport, senior director analyst at Gartner, said that China is projected to account for 61 per cent of all EV installed bases.“Despite the US government introducing tariffs on vehicle imports and many governments removing the subsidies and incentives for purchasing EVs, the number of EVs on the road is forecast to increase 30 per cent in 2026,” he said.

In the UAE, the electric vehicle market looks promising, especially in the coming year. Government-led sustainability initiatives, expanding charging infrastructure, and growing consumer interest are accelerating adoption across the country. Authorities continue to invest in public charging networks, while incentives such as reduced registration fees, free parking in some emirates and toll exemptions are encouraging drivers to switch to electric.

The UAE has set ambitious targets to support the transition to electric mobility as part of its Net Zero 2050 strategy. Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority aims for a significant share of government and public transport vehicles to be electric or hybrid by the end of the decade, while Abu Dhabi has also committed to expanding low-emission transport across its road networks.

The country has already rolled out hundreds of EV charging points nationwide through initiatives such as Dewa's Green Charger, with further expansion planned to keep pace with rising demand.

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