Dubai to Offer Free Parking and Charging to Electric Car Drivers

A city famous for its oil money is implementing generous incentives for electric cars.

1 minute read

September 26, 2017, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Electric Cars

Imfoto / Shutterstock

New incentives for emissions-free driving are coming from surprising sources these days. Dubai, for instance, in oil-rich United Arab Emirates, is launching a program to offer free parking, toll-free driving, and free charging to electric vehicle owners.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is aiming to get 32,000 electric cars on the roads by 2020, according to an article by Fatma Abusief. Electric car owners who register with DEWA will have free access to DEWA’s Green Charger electric vehicle charging stations until the end of 2019.

"Together with the Road and Transportation Authority, the utility is also offering free parking spaces and exemptions from tolls and vehicle registration fees for electric-car owners," adds Abusief.

According to the article, the push for electric vehicles is actually an effort to preserve more of the country's oil supplies for export.

Sunday, September 24, 2017 in Bloomberg Technology

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Brutalist grey department of housing and urban development building in Washington DC.

How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response

Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.

55 minutes ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Lancaster Boulevard with tree-lined median and wide sidewalks in Lancaster, California.

The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way

One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.

1 hour ago - Streetsblog USA

Sign in front of building for seior services center in St. Petersburg, Fl.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk

High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.

3 hours ago - WESH

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA