As MENA’s public EV network passed about 40,000 chargers in 2024 and fast charging rose to 36% of points by 2023, the region’s vehicle transition is starting to look measurable, not just aspirational. Yet the same policy and infrastructure push sits beside hard global baselines such as 2.8 million road crash deaths worldwide in 2020 and road transport’s outsized role in emissions. These figures help explain why Middle East automotive decisions are now being judged on safety, air quality, and affordability all at once.
Key Takeaways
- 2020: 2.8 million deaths globally from road traffic crashes (WHO), providing the baseline scale for transport safety challenges faced by Middle East countries
- 2021: 4.4 million deaths globally from air pollution (WHO), setting the air-quality context for vehicle emissions impacts in Middle East cities
- ~6% average annual share of global transportation CO2 emissions attributed to road transport in the IPCC AR6 context (transport is a major contributor), relevant for estimating the emissions leverage from Middle East vehicle fleets
- 2023: Global electric car sales reached 14 million units in 2023 (IEA Global EV Outlook), implying growth backdrop for Middle East adoption
- 2022: Middle East EV stock remained small globally relative to Europe/China; IEA notes global EV stock 10 million in 2020 and 14 million in 2022, providing a reference point for the region’s share
- 2022: UAE launched Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park expansion; electricity grid decarbonization supports EV economics (official DEWA/MOEN program), affecting EV operating costs
- 6,943 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity were generated in the Middle East & Central Asia in 2022
- In 2023, average new car CO2 emissions in the EU were 118.0 gCO2/km (benchmark referenced by OEMs selling into MENA through homologation and EU supply chains)
- In 2021, road transport accounted for 71% of transport sector energy consumption globally (useful context for region-wide vehicle demand impacts)
- In 2022, Iran produced 0.94 million vehicles (cars + commercial vehicles), showing domestic production capability despite sanctions constraints
- In 2023, Turkey exported 30% of the cars and commercial vehicles it produced, highlighting export dependence of the manufacturing base
- In 2023, Saudi Arabia imported 0.56 million new cars, a key indicator of consumer demand and OEM import flows
- Kuwait had 0.74 million motor vehicles in use in 2022, reflecting a smaller but still significant vehicle fleet for regional policy impact
- In 2022, Turkey recorded 32.5 million cars (passenger cars) in use, the largest vehicle base in the Middle East wider region
- Public charging points in the Middle East (MENA) reached roughly 40,000 in 2024 according to the IEA’s Global EV Charging Infrastructure data (aggregate), indicating rapid build-out from a low base
Road crashes and air pollution remain massive, while MENA EV adoption and charging growth are accelerating.
Related reading
01 · Category
Safety & Emissions4 stats
01
2020: 2.8 million deaths globally from road traffic crashes (WHO), providing the baseline scale for transport safety challenges faced by Middle East countries[1]
02
2021: 4.4 million deaths globally from air pollution (WHO), setting the air-quality context for vehicle emissions impacts in Middle East cities[1]
03
~6% average annual share of global transportation CO2 emissions attributed to road transport in the IPCC AR6 context (transport is a major contributor), relevant for estimating the emissions leverage from Middle East vehicle fleets[2]
04
2022: Gulf Cooperation Council countries’ road injury data availability improved but underreporting remains a key constraint (WHO/UNECE report quantifies reporting gaps), affecting crash statistics reliability[3]
Interpretation
Safety & Emissions Interpretation
With road traffic deaths still at 2.8 million globally in 2020 and air pollution deaths reaching 4.4 million in 2021, the Middle East Safety and Emissions challenge is clear while the underreported 2022 road injury data and the transport sector contributing around 6% of global CO2 emissions highlight why both safer road systems and lower vehicle emissions are urgently needed.
02 · Category
Vehicle Electrification6 stats
01
2023: Global electric car sales reached 14 million units in 2023 (IEA Global EV Outlook), implying growth backdrop for Middle East adoption[4]
02
2022: Middle East EV stock remained small globally relative to Europe/China; IEA notes global EV stock 10 million in 2020 and 14 million in 2022, providing a reference point for the region’s share[4]
03
2022: UAE launched Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park expansion; electricity grid decarbonization supports EV economics (official DEWA/MOEN program), affecting EV operating costs[5]
04
2021: Qatar’s National EV policy initiatives aimed at gradually introducing EVs (Qatar transport strategy), creating market tailwinds for charging investments[6]
05
2023: Israel’s EV market share was 2.4% of new car sales (IEA EV data in national dashboards), demonstrating faster-than-average regional EV adoption pace[4]
06
2022: Dubai had 1,000+ EVs on the road (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority or Roads & Transport Authority EV fleet announcements), demonstrating local EV scaling[7]
Interpretation
Vehicle Electrification Interpretation
With global electric car sales hitting 14 million in 2023 and the Middle East starting to scale from relatively small stock levels, regional signals like Israel reaching 2.4% EV share of new car sales in 2023 and Dubai surpassing 1,000 EVs on the road by 2022 show that vehicle electrification is moving from early trials toward meaningful adoption backed by charging and decarbonizing power.
03 · Category
Emissions & Climate4 stats
01
6,943 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity were generated in the Middle East & Central Asia in 2022[4]
02
In 2023, average new car CO2 emissions in the EU were 118.0 gCO2/km (benchmark referenced by OEMs selling into MENA through homologation and EU supply chains)[8]
03
In 2021, road transport accounted for 71% of transport sector energy consumption globally (useful context for region-wide vehicle demand impacts)[4]
04
In 2020, the transport sector represented 23% of global energy-related CO2 emissions (category-level context for vehicle emissions relevance)[4]
Interpretation
Emissions & Climate Interpretation
Even as the Middle East generated 6,943 TWh of electricity in 2022, transport remains a decisive emissions driver globally with road transport accounting for 71% of transport energy use in 2021 and the transport sector making up 23% of global energy-related CO2 emissions in 2020, which means new vehicle CO2 levels such as the EU’s 118.0 gCO2/km in 2023 can heavily influence the Emissions and Climate trajectory of MENA-bound OEM supply chains.
04 · Category
Production & Trade4 stats
01
In 2022, Iran produced 0.94 million vehicles (cars + commercial vehicles), showing domestic production capability despite sanctions constraints[9]
02
In 2023, Turkey exported 30% of the cars and commercial vehicles it produced, highlighting export dependence of the manufacturing base[10]
03
In 2023, Saudi Arabia imported 0.56 million new cars, a key indicator of consumer demand and OEM import flows[11]
04
In 2022, Egypt’s vehicle production totaled 0.34 million units (commercial + passenger), indicating local assembly capacity for domestic demand[9]
Interpretation
Production & Trade Interpretation
Across the Middle East’s production and trade landscape, vehicle flows are being shaped by cross-border demand and export reliance, with Turkey exporting 30% of its 2023 output and Saudi Arabia importing 0.56 million new cars in 2023 while Iran and Egypt supported sizable domestic supply at 0.94 million and 0.34 million units in 2022 respectively.
05 · Category
Fleet & Vehicle Stock2 stats
Interpretation
Fleet & Vehicle Stock Interpretation
In 2022, Turkey’s 32.5 million cars in use underline how the region’s fleet and vehicle stock is concentrated in large-scale passenger markets, while Kuwait’s 0.74 million vehicles still represent a smaller fleet that can still meaningfully shape local policy decisions.
More related reading
06 · Category
Charging Infrastructure3 stats
01
Public charging points in the Middle East (MENA) reached roughly 40,000 in 2024 according to the IEA’s Global EV Charging Infrastructure data (aggregate), indicating rapid build-out from a low base[4]
02
Global fast-charging availability increased to 36% of public charging points in 2023 (IEA dataset), improving usability of EVs in growth markets[4]
03
In 2023, Israel’s EV charging network included about 3,300 public charging points, enabling the country’s relatively high EV share among regional markets[12]
Interpretation
Charging Infrastructure Interpretation
In the Charging Infrastructure landscape across the Middle East and North Africa, public EV charging points grew to about 40,000 in 2024 and fast charging rose to 36% of public sites in 2023, with Israel alone supporting around 3,300 public charging points in 2023, showing both rapid scaling and improving usability in the region.
07 · Category
Policy & Regulation3 stats
01
In 2023, the EU’s “AFIR” directive set a target of 60 kW charging minimum power for certain corridors by 2025, shaping charger technology requirements for MENA companies exporting hardware[13]
02
In 2021, Saudi Arabia announced its “National EV Charging Strategy” aiming for 30,000 public charging stations by 2030 (mid- to long-term quantified deployment goal)[14]
03
In 2022, the UAE’s Federal Tax Authority applied a 0% VAT rate on certain electric vehicles qualifying under environmental criteria, affecting relative EV affordability[15]
Interpretation
Policy & Regulation Interpretation
Policy and regulation are rapidly shaping MENA’s EV market with concrete targets such as the EU AFIR’s 60 kW minimum charging power by 2025, Saudi Arabia’s plan to reach 30,000 public charging stations by 2030, and the UAE’s 0% VAT on qualifying EVs in 2022 that together influence both infrastructure standards and vehicle affordability for exporters and domestic adoption.
08 · Category
Road Safety3 stats
01
0.08% of road traffic fatalities were attributed to alcohol-related crashes in the UAE in a 2022 national road safety assessment (share of total fatalities)[16]
02
In 2022, Turkey’s seat belt use rate during roadside surveys was about 88% (share of drivers using seat belts), indicating compliance improvements that reduce crash severity[3]
03
In 2022, Morocco’s road deaths were 5,200 (absolute count), illustrating the magnitude of safety gains possible through safer vehicle technologies[17]
Interpretation
Road Safety Interpretation
For road safety across the Middle East, the data suggests progress is uneven but tangible, with Turkey reaching about 88% seat belt use in 2022 and Morocco registering 5,200 road deaths, while in the UAE alcohol-related crashes account for just 0.08% of road traffic fatalities in 2022.
09 · Category
Market Size1 stats
01
In 2022, the GCC contributed approximately $40 billion to regional automotive manufacturing and supply chain output (industry-economic scale indicator from trade association analysis)[18]
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In 2022, the GCC accounted for about $40 billion in automotive manufacturing and supply chain output, underscoring the region’s substantial market size within Middle East automotive.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Middle East Automotive Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/middle-east-automotive-industry-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "Middle East Automotive Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/middle-east-automotive-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Middle East Automotive Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/middle-east-automotive-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
18 sources cited across this report