2025 World New Energy Vehicle Conference (UAE Session) Discusses “Future Transportation, Future Energy”

The 2025 World New Energy Vehicle Conference (UAE Session) took place on May 20 in Abu Dhabi. Wan Gang, president of the China Association for Science and Technology and chairman of the conference, delivered a keynote speech highlighting that addressing climate change and enhancing low-carbon green transformation in economic and social sectors is a shared goal among nations. He emphasized that establishing a new energy system focused on renewable energy is essential for sustainable national economic development. Furthermore, accelerating the electrification, intelligence, and low-carbon transformation of the automotive industry can achieve a win-win situation for low-carbon transition and industrial upgrading.

Wan Gang pointed out that China is continuously innovating in the fields of photovoltaics, wind power, and energy storage, aiding the comprehensive development of agriculture, industry, and fisheries. The transition to electric and intelligent vehicles is driving profound changes in the automotive supply chain and industrial ecosystem, further broadening industry boundaries. This evolution is leading to a new modern automotive industry cluster characterized by innovation, data-driven approaches, efficient collaboration, resilience, security, and low-carbon sustainability. The Chinese automotive industry is progressing in an orderly manner, promoting the coordinated development of power batteries, charging and swapping infrastructure, renewable energy, and intelligent driving.

He emphasized the need for continued deepening of international communication and cooperation to accelerate the development of the new energy vehicle market. The opportunities for the development of the new energy vehicle industry in the UAE are unprecedented. Chinese companies should leverage the UAE’s climatic characteristics and market preferences to provide better products and services tailored to the UAE market, achieving mutual benefits through a “two-way approach” of technology and capital. Looking ahead, it is important to utilize opportunities such as the Belt and Road Initiative and RCEP to contribute more to green, low-carbon, safe, and intelligent development globally, particularly for developing countries.

Feng Fei, secretary of the Hainan Provincial Committee, shared the green practices of the Free Trade Port, introducing a series of initiatives for the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port and the ecological civilization pilot zone. Hainan is vigorously developing green energy, with clean energy accounting for over 80% of installed capacity, aiming for 94% by 2035. The province has established a zero-carbon demonstration zone on Dongyu Island, achieving a 99% carbon reduction. Its market penetration rate for new energy vehicles has reached 58.2%, ranking first among provincial-level regions in China. Hainan also boasts a comprehensive infrastructure network, including a unified platform for charging and swapping, as well as a 5G vehicle-road-cloud collaborative system. Supported by Free Trade Port policies, Hainan is deepening cooperation with the UAE, with a projected 30% increase in trade with the UAE by 2024. Direct shipping routes from Yangpu Port to Abu Dhabi Port will reduce costs by 12% and speed up delivery by 10-15 days, facilitating synergy in vehicle and supply chain collaboration to support global green transformation.

Zhang Yiming, China’s ambassador to the UAE, noted that as the first country in the Middle East and North Africa region to sign the Paris Agreement, the UAE places great importance on green transformation and technological innovation, vigorously developing the new energy vehicle industry and leading the region. The cooperation between China and the UAE in the field of new energy vehicles represents a well-timed two-way collaboration. In this sector, both parties can enhance cooperation in technology research and development, tackling key challenges such as battery technology and charging infrastructure to improve vehicle performance and reduce costs. In the realm of intelligent connected vehicles, companies from both countries can work together to explore applications of cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous driving and vehicle-road collaboration, creating a safer, more efficient, and convenient intelligent transportation system. In the hydrogen energy sector, both sides can conduct in-depth cooperation in hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and application, jointly building a green and low-carbon hydrogen energy industry chain. Deep cooperation in new energy vehicles between China and the UAE is bound to promote industrial synergy and contribute to global green transformation and sustainable development.

Gauri Singh, Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency, emphasized the urgent need to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency to achieve the net-zero emissions target by 2030. Despite significant growth in global renewable energy capacity, there is still a substantial gap from the targets set at the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which aim for a tripling of renewable energy capacity and doubling of energy efficiency. In 2024, the global addition of renewable energy capacity is expected to reach 585 gigawatts, with China holding a dominant position. By 2050, the proportion of direct electrification in the global economy is anticipated to exceed 51%, with electricity becoming the primary energy carrier, complemented by clean energy sources such as hydrogen. Currently, the electrification progress in transportation, building heating and cooling, and heavy industry remains significantly lagging, necessitating technological innovations to overcome existing bottlenecks. This requires breakthroughs not only in battery and photovoltaic technologies but also in systemic innovations involving infrastructure, business models, and grid integration. All countries are encouraged to use China as a benchmark, translating commitments into actionable policies and industrial collaboration.

Sun Hanxing, a member of the Standing Committee of the Rui’an Municipal Committee, Li Sheng, chairman of FAW Liberation Company, Jeffrey X L Yu, Business and Business Development Manager of KEZAD Group, and Bao Huanhuan, General Manager of the Overseas Business Division of the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute, delivered speeches on jointly promoting the green transition of transportation energy, discussing development opportunities in the Middle East. Mohamed Al Hosani, Executive Director of Public Transport Affairs at the Abu Dhabi Integrated Transport Centre, Zhang Liang, General Manager of Baidu’s Intelligent Driving Business Group for Europe and the Middle East, and Rashed Al Mohtadi, Marketing Director of Kintsugi, also spoke on the application and implementation of autonomous driving. Additionally, Mohammed Maktari, CEO of NIO in the Middle East and North Africa, Zhang Chi, CEO of Guangdong Qingneng New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., Li Hui, General Manager of Zhonghe Skan Hydrogen Energy Development (Hebei) Co., Ltd., Yang Angming, Strategy Vice President of TruKKer Technologies, and Qiao Taikong, General Manager of the Electric-Hydrogen-Ammonia Industry Center of Mingyang Group, discussed promoting clean energy.

This conference attracted over 200 participants from various sectors of the global automotive industry. Attendees engaged in extensive exchanges, promoting cooperation between China and the UAE and collaborating to advance technology research in smart energy and smart transportation, co-building industrial chains, and jointly exploring markets, thus creating a new landscape for an open, inclusive, cooperative, and mutually beneficial automotive industry.