Dubai is accelerating its transition to sustainable mobility with plans to introduce 735 electric buses in 2026, marking the largest rollout of its kind in the UAE. The initiative forms part of the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) strategy to build a zero-emission public transport system and supports the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the UAE’s climate neutrality targets. The RTA currently operates 40 electric buses, alongside hydrogen-powered vehicles.

To support the expansion, charging infrastructure has been completed across five major depots in Al Quoz, Al Ruwayyah, Lehbab, Business Bay, and Jebel Ali. The facilities are equipped with 32 high-capacity 360-kilowatt chargers, ensuring operational readiness and enabling the gradual integration of electric buses across Dubai’s transport network.

One of the newly introduced buses is already operating on Route F13, offering a range of up to 370 kilometres on a single charge and powered by a 470-kilowatt-hour battery. The RTA has focused on passenger comfort and air-conditioning efficiency, while ongoing performance assessments evaluate battery range, charging time, energy consumption, operational efficiency, emissions reduction, and noise levels. Satisfaction levels among drivers and passengers have exceeded 95 per cent.

According to Marwan Al Zarooni, Director of Buses at the Public Transport Agency, the initiative is part of a long-term commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly transport solutions. Environmental indicators have shown significant progress, with a 12 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 compared to 2024, and a 44 per cent reduction compared to 2022. The use of electric buses also helped avoid more than 59,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2025, supporting Dubai’s target of reducing emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.