Public parks, beaches, and recreational facilities across Dubai will double as electric vehicle charging hubs under a newly launched initiative between Dubai Municipality and UAEV, the Emarat EV Charging Stations Company.
The Dh150-million project, structured as a Public-Private Partnership, will eventually cover 600 parking spaces at high-traffic destinations throughout the emirate. Within the first two years, 75 supercharging stations will be operational across 150 bays, with rollout designed to reach both densely visited landmarks and neighbourhood-level parks.
Badr Anwahi, CEO of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality, framed the effort as a rethinking of what public spaces are meant to do. “This initiative reflects Dubai Municipality’s commitment to transforming public spaces into integrated, future-ready environments that support evolving lifestyles and sustainable mobility,” he said. “By embedding EV charging infrastructure across parks and beaches, we are enabling residents and visitors to make more environmentally responsible choices as part of their daily routines, while enhancing the overall quality and accessibility of Dubai’s public realm.”
The scale of the buildout is partly a response to shifting ownership patterns. More than half of UAE residents — 52 per cent — are now buying or leasing electric vehicles, driven in part by lower running costs. A standardisation of charging rates introduced in 2024 further pushed adoption upward.
Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and Chairman of UAEV, said the arrangement extends EV access into spaces where people already spend time. “Through our partnership with Dubai Municipality, UAEV is proud to expand access to EV charging infrastructure across key community destinations, including parks, markets, and public facilities,” he said. “By integrating charging solutions into everyday locations, we are making sustainable mobility more convenient and accessible for everyone. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to supporting the UAE’s clean mobility ambitions and enhancing quality of life across the community.”
The initiative feeds into several overlapping policy frameworks — among them Dubai’s Greenery and Parks Strategy 2040, the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, and the UAE Energy Strategy 2050. It also advances a national target to have electric vehicles account for half of the total vehicle fleet by 2050.
Dubai Municipality has signalled it is actively seeking additional private sector partners and technology firms to participate in future phases of public infrastructure development.
