The electric car revolution is well under way around the world, with many brands, from Tesla to Porsche, committing to releasing new models that do not require a trip to the petrol station.
The available options for car buyers in the UAE are increasing against the backdrop of the Emirates’ Net Zero by 2050 initiative, which calls for Dh600 billion ($163.37bn) to be invested in clean and renewable energy sources in the next three decades.
Among those options is a new player in the UAE market — Swedish premium electric car brand Polestar, which has unveiled the Polestar 2 sedan in the country.
Here is all you need to know about its presence in the UAE:
How much is the Polestar 2?
In the UAE, Polestar 2 prices start from Dh161,900 ($44,084) for the standard-range single-motor version, with one electric motor with 231 horsepower, 330 newton-metres (Nm) of torque and a 69-kilowatt battery pack providing up to 444 kilometres of electric range.
The long-range single motor version is priced from Dh200,900, and comes with a larger, 78kW battery and up to 540km of electric range.
A third long-range dual motor variant costs upwards of Dh210,900 and features all-wheel drive with a total output of 408hp, 660Nm of torque, and up to 482km of electric range with a 78kW battery.
How does that compare with the price of a Tesla?
Favourably, if you are looking to spend fewer dirhams.
The Tesla Model 3 starts at Dh184,990 in the UAE and offers an electric range of 491km. However, the estimated delivery time is February 2023, according to Tesla’s website. The company is facing supply chain challenges.
Where is the Polestar 2 available in the UAE?
Polestar now has its first dedicated retail outlet in the UAE, and, in line with the brand itself, it is all very cutting edge.
The Store of the Future, or Polestar Space, as it has been called, has opened in Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, giving prospective customers the chance to get a close look at the Swedish vehicle and potentially book a test drive.
“Polestar Space is the perfect setting to showcase the cutting-edge, sustainable design and advanced technologies of Polestar 2," said Jonathan Pollock from Al-Futtaim Trading Enterprises, the vehicle’s UAE distributor.
Al-Futtaim Automotive, one of the UAE’s main vehicle distributors teamed up with Polestar to launch online sales in March.
It opened a pop-up shop in Dubai's City Walk. It is on the main boulevard in Building 10, and is open daily from 9am to 9pm.
What’s this about a vegan interior?
Yes, Polestar is big on sustainability.
“We have revisited materials and processes that go into making Polestar 2, introducing updates that reduce the climate impact and increase material traceability of this award-winning car," said Polestar chief executive Thomas Ingenlath.
“These are important additions to how we can improve cars over their lifetime, not just with functionality and design updates but addressing sustainability and carbon footprint as well.”
So, there is a choice of either vegan WeaveTech upholstery or ventilated Napa leather.
Does Polestar have any other models?
There is the Polestar 1, but it is not available in the UAE. This model is a plug-in hybrid, which means it has both a four-cylinder engine and three electric motors.
The Swedish car brand plans to launch one new EV a year from 2022, starting with Polestar 3, its first electric SUV. Polestar 4, a smaller electric SUV coupe, is expected to be launched next year.
The Polestar 5 electric-performance, four-door GT is set to be released in 2024.
What other electric cars can you buy in the UAE?
Some of the electric cars available in the UAE at present include the Tesla Model S/X/3, the Chevrolet Bolt EV, the Audi e-tron, the Mercedes-Benz EQC, the MG ZS EV and the Renault ZOE. The Mercedes EQE will arrive on the market in the third quarter and has a range of up to 671km.
Priced from Dh105,000 ($28,590), the MG ZS is the cheapest EV on the market.
Tesla, the world’s biggest EV maker, opened its first Middle East showroom in Dubai in July 2017.
The Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai plans to make public transport emission-free by 2050. It has offered EV owners free parking slots and free Salik road toll tags in the emirate. More than 750 charging stations have been set up in the UAE.
A Dubai company that invests in technology, M Glory Holding, is opening an EV manufacturing plant.
The Dh1.5 billion factory in Dubai Industrial City, which will occupy 93,000 square metres, will be one of the largest in the Middle East. It aims to make 55,000 EVs a year as demand for green mobility rises, the company said.
M Glory has also introduced Al Damani DMV300, its first fully electric car. The venture is expected to create 1,000 jobs.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi will host the Mena region’s first EV summit from May 23 to May 25.
Do UAE drivers who choose EVs save money?
EV owners have travelled more than 58 million kilometres since 2015, while cutting refuelling costs by about three quarters, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority said.
The utility company’s EV Green Charger Initiative has provided more than 8,800 megawatt-hours — equivalent to the annual energy capture of some wind turbines — to its users, Dewa said.
— This story has been updated from an earlier version first published on April 28, 2022
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Mountain%20Boy
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Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
Based: Amman, Jordan
Employees: 55
Funding: $6m
Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media
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Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
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Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
India Test squad
Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rahul, Vijay, Pujara, Rahane (vc), Karun, Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Pandya, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bumrah, Thakur
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:
Al Ain 2 Al Duhail 4
Second leg:
Tuesday, Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha. Kick off 7.30pm
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
