UAE-made Rabdan One electric vehicle draws crowds at Adipec

The car is manufactured by NWTN, which has a vehicle assembly facility in Abu Dhabi

One of the first electric vehicles to be manufactured in the UAE is also proving to be one of the most popular attractions on display at the Adipec 2023 gathering in Abu Dhabi of global energy professionals.

At the conference attended by about 160,000 people, the Rabdan One, a five-seater SUV, is featured prominently at the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology’s booth, and its popularity among those in attendance occasionally creates congestion in terms of foot traffic.

“Hopefully this is just the beginning of the establishment of an electric vehicle industry in the UAE,” said Tariq Al Hashmi, the ministry's director of technology adoption and development.

“It’s part of our ‘Operation 300bn’ programme,” he added, referring to the UAE’s 10-year industrial strategy announced in 2022 that seeks to double the share of the manufacturing sector to the country's gross domestic product to Dh300 billion by 2031 from Dh133 billion in 2021.

The Rabdan One is manufactured by UAE electric car maker NWTN, which has its headquarters in Dubai and a vehicle assembly facility in Abu Dhabi.

The company also showed off a luxury smart passenger vehicle, the Rabdan Muse, at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance car show last month in California.

The vehicle on display at Adipec had ‘Made In The Emirates’ displayed on the doors and bonnet, in line with the country's initiative to promote local manufacturing.

The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology stall at Adipec 2023. Victor Besa / The National

“We’re really proud to have an electric vehicle that’s manufactured in the UAE,” said Mr Al Hashmi.

Pricing of the vehicle has not yet been revealed, but sign-up registration for interest in the car is possible on NWTN’s website.

The company describes the Rabdan One as a “dynamic, intelligent, and comfortable, all-wheel-drive SUV that adopts the world's leading range extension technology".

It also touts a comprehensive driving range of “up to 860 kilometres".

NWTN said in May that it hosted a test drive event for more than 100 potential buyers.

“Our first test drive experience in the UAE was designed to showcase Rabdan One’s game-changing electric vehicle performance and technology, as well as highlight its versatility,” Luen Govender, head of NWTN’s Abu Dhabi Plant said at the time.

The carmaker has also indicated that it expects sales of the Rabdan One to exceed 5,000 vehicles over a five-year period.