A new UAE-based platform designed to simplify one of the most complex decisions in today’s automotive market – buying an electric vehicle – has officially launched.
Drive EV (https://drive-ev.ae/) uses artificial intelligence and structured decision logic to match prospective buyers with the right electric or hybrid vehicle based on their housing, lifestyle, location and driving preferences.
Drive EV is a decision platform, not a marketplace. Unlike traditional car listing sites or review portals, it focuses on understanding the buyer first, using behavioral data and guided inputs to recommend the most suitable vehicles in the UAE and connect users with the right dealers.
The platform arrives at a moment when the UAE’s EV market is growing faster than almost anywhere else in the world. The numbers reflect a market in rapid transition. EVs accounted for just 0.7 percent of total car sales in the UAE in 2021. By 2023, that figure had reached 13 percent, a pace of change that few markets anywhere in the world have matched. Full-year figures for 2025 have not yet been published, but the market surged 41 percent year-on-year in the first half of the year, with Dubai alone recording more than 40,600 registrations.
global-ev-markets-cool/”>Roland Berger’s EV Charging Index 2025 ranks the GCC among the fastest-growing EV markets globally, with the UAE leading the region in volume. This momentum is largely driven by government policy, including the UAE’s goal of reaching 50% electric vehicles by 2050 and at least 10% adoption by 2030, supported by incentives such as free registration, toll exemptions, and reduced charging fees. However, rapid growth has also introduced complexity, as consumers navigate an increasingly crowded market with numerous new entrants alongside established global brands.
Drive EV addresses this gap with a data-driven approach. Its “Your Ideal Vehicle” tool guides users through eight structured questions to deliver three personalised recommendations from a comprehensive UAE model database, while an AI assistant supports broader queries, from battery technology to total cost of ownership.
Founder Ian Lewis, previously active in vehicle imports, built the platform based on first-hand market experience. He comments:
“Buying an EV in the UAE is genuinely confusing for most people
There is a lot of information out there, but very little of it is structured to help you make a confident decision. Drive EV is built to simplify that journey – guiding buyers to the right vehicle for them and connecting them with the right dealer, with far less friction.”
At launch, Drive EV also announces a partnership with EVLife (https://evlife.world), a global EV editorial platform by Reset Media Group. Reaching readers in over 170 countries, EVLife will integrate Drive EV’s recommendation tool to connect research with high-intent purchase decisions.
Together, the platforms will approach UAE dealers and manufacturers with a combined offering of editorial reach and qualified, data-driven leads. Drive EV’s lead intelligence system enhances this by capturing behavioral signals, including location, driving patterns, and model preferences.
Dominic Shales, founder of Reset Media Group and publisher of EVLife, said:
“EVLife’s role is to inform people about what is happening in the EV world
Drive EV’s role is to convert that interest into a purchase decision. Those two roles are complementary rather than competitive, and together they create a compelling proposition for both EV brands and dealers.”
The partnership will initially focus on the UAE, with plans to expand across the GCC.