EV operators must comply with licensing rules: DEWA

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has established a comprehensive regulatory and licensing framework for the development and operation of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across Dubai. This is part of DEWA’s commitment to accelerate EV adoption and foster private sector involvement in supporting green mobility.

This framework addresses current needs while also anticipating future growth, ensuring that Dubai remains at the forefront of green mobility innovation. It outlines a dual approach: DEWA and its subsidiaries will ensure the direct development of public charging infrastructure and also enable infrastructure development by third-party charge point operators (independent CPOs) licensed by DEWA for the purpose.

“In line with the National Electric Vehicles Policy, the regulatory framework for EV charging infrastructure supports measures to enable the growth of public charging infrastructure in Dubai. The regulatory framework solidifies DEWA’s pioneering position as the operator of the region’s first public EV charging infrastructure, which currently includes more than 740 charge points. This step reinforces our continued efforts to promote sustainable mobility, achieve the Emirate’s strategic objectives in terms of sustainability, air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as achieve the goals of the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Green Mobility Strategy 2030,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

According to the regulatory framework, independent CPOs must obtain a licence from DEWA to operate public EV charging infrastructure in Dubai.

There are two types of licences: one for CPOs offering free EV charging services and another for CPOs collecting payments from end users.

Article 9 (Transitory Provisions) of the EV Charging Infrastructure Regulation for the Emirate of Dubai requires any person operating public charging equipment at the effective date of the regulation to comply with it no later than six months from when it was published in October 2024.

Hence, CPOs are required to comply before March 31, 2025.

During this transitional period, independent CPOs may continue to provide free EV charging services. However, the collection of payments from customers for the use of public charging infrastructure is strictly prohibited without a valid CPO licence from DEWA.

in December 2024, DEWA had revealed that it now provides a network of more than 740 EV Green Charger points across Dubai, supporting the emirate’s steady growth in electric vehicle adoption, which exceeded 34,970 in October 2024.

Customers can conveniently locate these charging stations via DEWA’s website, smart app, and 14 other digital platforms.

“We work in line with the vision of our wise leadership to transform Dubai into the smartest and happiest city in the world by adopting disruptive technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The EV Green Charger initiative, launched by DEWA in 2014, aims to provide a pioneering infrastructure for EV charging stations, supporting the steady increase in electric vehicles across Dubai. The UAE aims to have 50 per cent of the cars on its roads electric by 2050. Recently, we launched a comprehensive Regulatory and Licensing Framework for the development and operation of EV charging infrastructure in Dubai. This represents a significant step towards promoting green mobility and achieving Dubai’s target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” Al Tayer said.

DEWA had issued the first two Independent Charge Point Operator (CPO) licences for EV charging stations in Dubai to Tesla and UAEV.

This initiative supports DEWA’s commitment to encourage private sector participation in advancing sustainability, reduce emissions in the mobility sector and promote investment in green mobility infrastructure in Dubai.

The EV Green Charger network includes ultra-fast, fast, public and wall-box chargers. A total of 16,828 customers had benefitted from the initiative’s services from 2014 until the end of September 2024, with DEWA providing around 31,674 megawatt hours of electricity to electric vehicles.

DEWA recently, announced its participation in the 13th Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport as the strategic sponsor.