The UAE is home to one of the biggest SUV markets in the world, and the task of swaying consumers away from the SUV segment towards the adoption of EVs remains a huge challenge for Nissan in the UAE and across the GCC region in general.
However, Nissan's marketing manager has expressed his confidence that the adoption of EVs will become inevitable due to growing concerns over the damage fossil-fueled vehicles are doing to the environment. The UAE government has shown its support for electrification and a number of other green initiatives.
The regional product manager for SUV, crossovers and electric vehicles at Nissan, Ismail Sethi, said, "Electrification is not only the future, it is the present. As the world's leading EV manufacturer, we have sold more than 280,000 Nissan LEAFs globally, making it the world's best-selling electric vehicle. LEAF customers have driven more than 3.5 billion zero-emission kilometers combined. As global leaders in electric vehicles, we are committed to contributing to the success of electric vehicles in the UAE, and believe the ambitious plans set out by the government will be met. It is vital we meet the objectives outlined in the Paris Climate agreement in order to combat climate change."
Nissan Middle East also showcased the all-new, all-electric Nissan LEAF during the World Future Energy Summit 2018. The automaker demonstrated the latest in electric vehicle technology and a range of the connected and autonomous features available in the Nissan LEAF.
The movement towards the introduction of low emission vehicles has been spearheaded globally by China and the UK. The Chinese government has shown its commitment towards reducing the alarming levels of pollution in the country by offering incentives for consumers to go electric. By 2030, it has claimed that it expects its shift towards cleaner new energy vehicles to be completed.
In 2017, the UK and France announced that all diesel and petrol cars will be prohibited from 2040 as part of their efforts to alleviate their issues with pollution in its cities.