• The UAE remained in 38th place, unchanged from Q3 2021
  • China continues to dominate the rankings, with the USA and Germany in second and third places
  • Globally, every 9th vehicle sold is now electrified and Tesla remains the leading manufacturer with over 20% share of e-range

Dubai – A new report released AlixPartners, the global consulting firm, shows that electric vehicles are gaining popularity in Saudi Arabia, with the country entering the report’s top 50 ranking for electrification of vehicles for the first time in Q4 2021. Saudi Arabia moved into 49th spot out of 73 countries surveyed globally for the quarter, up five places compared with Q4 2020 and up from 50th in Q3 2021. Meanwhile, the UAE remained in 38th place for the [second] quarter running.

Alessandro Missaglia, Managing Director at AlixPartners Middle East, said, “Last year in October, we saw Saudi Arabia announce its net zero ambition, together with specific initiatives targeting an increase in electric vehicles. That the Kingdom continues to rise up the rankings of our Automotive Electrification Index, entering the top 50 for the first time, reflects this growing drive towards a sustainable future and I am sure that we will continue to see further progress in the coming years, underpinned by the government’s dedicated focus on the sector.”

Overall, the index showed that the global e-range – the index’s measure of progress in vehicle electrification based on the integral electric range of New Electric Vehicles sold – increased by 36% quarter-on-quarter and hit a new all-time high. China remains the dominant leader in New Electric Vehicles based on e-range, accounting for 58.0% of the total global e-range, with the USA in second place at 10.9% but growing steadily.

Every 9th vehicle sold in Q4 2021 worldwide was electric, equating to a global e-share (percentage of electric vehicles within total cars sold) of 11.7% in Q4 2021, up from 9.1% in Q3 2021. In terms of the leading manufacturers, Tesla continues to lead with an e-range share of 22.7% whilst Chinese OEMs are gaining on their European rivals with BYD in second place followed by Volkswagen in third.

Alessandro added, “Environmental concerns are a clear driver for the switch to electric vehicles globally, with every 9th vehicle sold now electrified. In Q4 2021, the integral electric range of new vehicles sold worldwide grew by 36% quarter-on-quarter to hit an all-time high and and with the recent fuel inflation, we believe this growth will only accelerate. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are taking action to start manufacture of electric vehicles in-country and to tap into the significant opportunity the electric vehicle market represents.”

-Ends-

About the Index

The AlixPartners Automotive Electrification Index uses e-Range (calculated as the integral electric range of New Electric Vehicles sold) as a simple and unambiguous measure for tracking the progress of electrification in the auto industry globally by region, country, segment and by manufacturer. It includes light vehicles (passenger cars and light trucks under 6 tons) within the categories of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV). It does not include Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles (MHEV) or full Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) such as the standard Toyota Prius.

The survey has been undertaken on a quarterly basis since 2017 and covers 73 countries. 

About AlixPartners

AlixPartners is a results-driven global consulting firm that specializes in helping businesses successfully address their most complex and critical challenges. Our clients include companies, corporate boards, law firms, investment banks, private equity firms, and others. Founded in 1981, AlixPartners is headquartered in New York and has offices in more than 20 cities around the world. For more information, visit www.alixpartners.com.

Contact:
Sandrine Chapuis
schapuis@alixpartners.com
Sophie McNulty
sophie.mcnulty@fgh.com