WETEX 2026 highlights the present and future of sustainable mobility

The transition towards sustainable mobility is no longer limited to developing more energy-efficient vehicles or replacing internal combustion engines with electric motors. It now involves reshaping the entire transport ecosystem, including energy sources, charging and refuelling infrastructure, fleet management and the connectivity between vehicles, energy networks and digital platforms. The Global EV Outlook 2026 report issued by the International Energy Agency (IEA) indicated that global electric vehicle (EV) sales grew by 20% to exceed 20 million in 2025, meaning that one quarter of all new cars sold were electric. The report expects global electric car sales to reach 23 million in 2026, representing 28% of total car sales.

The Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2026) will highlight this transformation from a perspective that brings together transport, energy, infrastructure and technology. Organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), the exhibition will take place from 20 to 22 October 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The Green Mobility Zone will bring electric and hydrogen vehicles, charging technologies and fleet management solutions together in one place, enabling transport operators, utilities, investors and technology providers to explore solutions that help accelerate the adoption of sustainable mobility. WETEX 2025 showcased a range of related technologies, including hydrogen and low-emission fuel technologies, as well as EV charging infrastructure.

“The future of sustainable mobility requires building an integrated ecosystem that combines clean energy, advanced infrastructure, innovative digital technologies, and business and investment models capable of accelerating the transition to a low-emission green economy. Expanding sustainable transportation is not limited to developing vehicles and advanced technologies; it also requires the provision of efficient, reliable and resilient charging and power supply solutions that keep pace with the rapid growth of cities and their evolving future needs. Strengthening collaboration among governments, companies, research institutions and investors is becoming increasingly important to accelerate the adoption of innovation and transform promising ideas into practical applications with tangible impact. WETEX provides a leading global platform that brings together key stakeholders in an environment that fosters partnerships, facilitates knowledge exchange and showcases the latest solutions and technologies, which supports the development of smart, sustainable cities,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, Founder and Chairman of WETEX.

Charging infrastructure is a key pillar of growth

As the number of electric vehicles increases, so does the importance of charging infrastructure. The challenge is no longer simply to increase the number of chargers, but also to address charging speed, station distribution, load management and the ability of charging infrastructure to serve fleets with intensive operating requirements. The IEA report indicated that public charging points worldwide reached more than seven million at the end of 2025, an increase of more than 33% compared to the previous year.

In Dubai, the number of electric vehicle charging points reached 2,223 by the first quarter of 2026, while the number of electric vehicles in the emirate reached 47,944 by the end of 2025, up from 37,486 a year earlier. This represents an increase of more than 10,000 vehicles, or nearly 28%. These figures reflect the growing importance of charging infrastructure as a core component of the sustainable mobility ecosystem, requiring its continued development in parallel with the growth of the EV market.

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology is also emerging, enabling compatible EVs to return stored electricity to the grid. When aggregated at sufficient scale, these vehicles can support load shifting and grid services such as frequency regulation and voltage support, while helping integrate variable renewable energy. V2G has been demonstrated internationally and is entering early commercial deployment, although wider adoption still depends on vehicle compatibility, standards, regulation and viable business models.

Fleets drive the adoption of sustainable mobility technologies

Public and commercial fleets provide an important testing ground for the economics of electric mobility, as their regular routes and high utilisation rates allow operating costs, returns and infrastructure efficiency to be measured more accurately. In this context, DEWA and Dubai Taxi Company (DTC) inaugurated the first phase of an ultra-fast charging hub. The hub comprises 24 charging points, each with a capacity of 360 kilowatts (kW), and can charge 24 vehicles simultaneously in about 35 minutes. The initiative forms part of a long-term strategic agreement signed at WETEX 2025 between DEWA and DTC to deploy more than 200 ultra-fast EV charging points for DTC’s fleet, significantly advancing Dubai’s green mobility infrastructure.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) also aims to transition its entire public bus fleet to electric and hydrogen power by 2050, reinforcing the role of large fleets in accelerating the adoption of clean technologies and advancing their transition to large-scale commercial operation.

Hydrogen opens a complementary pathway

Batteries and hydrogen do not necessarily compete in the same areas. While EVs are advancing rapidly in passenger cars and urban transport, hydrogen retains promising potential for heavy-duty, long-haul and high-utilisation applications, where refuelling speed and a lightweight powertrain system are more important factors. The IEA currently identifies heavy-duty road transport as one of the fastest-growing fuel cell vehicle markets.

Dubai has a practical model for this pathway through DEWA’s Green Hydrogen project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa to produce hydrogen using solar energy. The project was designed to explore future applications of hydrogen, including in the transport sector. Part of its production is also used to refuel hydrogen vehicles at an ENOC station in Expo City Dubai.

As sustainable mobility technologies diversify, global markets are moving towards an integrated ecosystem that does not rely on a single solution. Electric vehicles are expanding in sectors where they are well suited, while hydrogen offers promising options for certain modes of transport with specific operational requirements. Against this backdrop, WETEX 2026 will showcase the latest innovations and solutions across the sustainable mobility ecosystem, bringing together vehicles, energy, infrastructure and operations to support emissions reduction, enhance energy efficiency and enable the cities of the future.