Image: Supplied
As the UAE accelerates toward its Vision 2030 sustainability goals, Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility is positioning itself at the forefront of the region’s electric vehicle revolution. Lucas Bellieud, appointed managing director (MD) of Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility in August, brings over 25 years of international automotive leadership to spearhead the company’s strategic direction.
In this interview with Gulf Business editor Neesha Salian, Bellieud shares the company’s vision for electrified mobility in the UAE, discussing Al-Futtaim’s partnerships with global leaders BYD and Polestar, the company’s impressive growth trajectory and the infrastructure developments needed to support the region’s transition to sustainable transportation.
With more than 6,000 BYD vehicles sold in less than two years and the recent launch of the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid pickup, Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility is proving that the future of mobility in the region is electric.
What is your vision for Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility and how do you plan to achieve it?
I would start by talking about the country, because I think it’s important that we align about what we see here. The UAE today has a very strong ambition in terms of more sustainable mobility, driven by Vision 2030, which gives a clear framework about where the country wants to go. The direction is very clear, and the ambition is extremely high.
At Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility, we have a simple but quite ambitious objective: to be one of the leading actors in this change. We want to contribute practically every day to this agenda. But it’s not about declaring things — we believe very much in doing, in actions.
We focus on four key areas. First, we have partnerships with two very key actors in electrified mobility: BYD Global and Polestar. We bring major brands to the market. Second, we propose a wide range of mobility solutions, different technologies including pure EV, plug-in hybrid and what we call super hybrid, so that every customer can find their way toward the most sustainable mobility at their own pace, with their own budget and vision.
Third, we’re active in infrastructure development. We know that electric mobility is very related to infrastructure, so we have Charge2Moov, a company dedicated to providing charging infrastructure across the UAE. And fourth, we leverage Al-Futtaim Group’s expertise. Being one of the leaders in automotive business in the region, we bring value and reassurance to our customers with network coverage, customer experience, and after-sales support. We make sure all products we sell are tested to be 100 pr cent suitable for the very harsh conditions we have in the region.
Looking at macro trends globally and regionally, what are you seeing in sustainable mobility? Are preferences in this region reflecting what you’re seeing globally?
Things are moving — mobility is about moving things and moving people. What we see here in the region is very similar to what we can experience in other countries, sometimes at a faster pace, sometimes slower, but things are moving. The government is giving a very clear direction and we’re contributing to this.
When you see the number of customers entering our showrooms, visiting our web pages, and the social media buzz around new technologies, the movement is clearly here. I wouldn’t say there’s a good technology and a bad technology. Our job is to bring the widest possible scope of technologies that truly suit customer needs. We have different customer needs, requests, and usage patterns, and I don’t think we should have one single offer applied to all customers.
By offering full EV cars, super hybrid cars and plug-in hybrids, we give customers the capability to choose what suits their needs best in terms of usage, location, stage of life, family size – all the elements that make needs different.
What demographic is purchasing BYD and Polestar vehicles? Is infrastructure development influencing these choices?
We’re lucky enough to see people coming from very different backgrounds. We don’t have a very specific typology. We see people from very different demographics in terms of age, young people and senior people. We see a very large diversity in terms of nationalities coming to our showrooms and buying our cars.
We intend to provide solutions to all customers here in the UAE, depending on their needs. When you see the number of interactions, the leads we receive, people getting in touch with us, whether physical or digital, you really see an engagement that’s quite promising in terms of transition toward sustainable mobility.
Chinese brands have become increasingly prominent in the UAE automotive market. What’s contributed to this trend?
The UAE has always been an open market — it’s true for automotive and almost everything. It’s a land of freedom here. If you come with a good value proposition, many customers will be willing to test your service, product, or offer. I think this is very healthy because I believe in competition.
We have a good proof point of being one of the key winners of this competition. Since we started operations less than two years ago, we’ve sold more than 6,000 BYD cars. This is quite a remarkable number. Yes, there is competition, and I think this is very healthy because at the end of the day, it brings more opportunity for the customer. Our numbers show that we’re not afraid of competition.
How has H1 2025 been for the company? What kind of growth are you seeing?
We’re accelerating a lot. We don’t communicate exact numbers, but I can tell you we’re really skyrocketing. 2025 will be a record year, and we’re not stopping here. 2026 will definitely show another record. I’ll be very happy to share these new records next time.
What are BYD’s best-selling models, and why is everyone so excited about the Shark 6?
BYD Global is the world leader in new energy vehicles, and we have the full spectrum of technology.
We have fully electric cars. I can mention the SEAL, which is a fully electric sedan that we’ve sold to Dubai Taxi Company, we’re very happy to be their partner. There’s also the SEAL 7 DM-i, our flagship SUV, which is extraordinarily fun to drive.
We’ve also expanded our range of super hybrids, plug-in hybrids, because these cars give a wider scope of possibilities to more people transitioning toward sustainable mobility. They relieve some key anxiety issues about electric mobility, like range and infrastructure. With plug-in hybrids, you have the best of both worlds.
Our models can drive between 70 and 100 kilometres in full EV mode. If you’re using it in the city, which is mainly what people do in the region, you can have a full EV experience with the silence, acceleration and obviously zero emissions. But if you want to travel around the Emirates, you don’t have that anxiety because with the plug-in, you can have up to almost 1,000 kilometres of autonomy. That’s why our plug-in hybrids have been extremely popular.
For me, the Shark 6 is a new milestone in our journey in the region. This is the first time BYD enters a segment that we all know is culturally iconic and commercially critical in this region. It’s a statement that BYD wants to cover all the main segments of automotive business here in the UAE, because we want to be one of the top players, if not the top player.
Why are we confident this car will be disruptive? BYD Global is a technology company beyond an automotive company, and we’re bringing disruption through technology. The Shark 6 offers the best of pickup trucks, no compromise on versatility, off-road capability or strong appearance, but with all the benefits of superb plug-in technology, which means flexibility in usage and efficiency in fuel consumption.
What advanced driver assistance features does BYD offer that give it an advantage over competitors?
Technology is about everything. These cars come embedded with probably the most advanced technology in terms of batteries, with the blade batteries, which are purely unique to BYD and bring a lot of value in terms of safety, efficiency and design. But they also come with extensive ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), which help customers have a safer and more enjoyable experience. This technology ensures our customers enjoy the drive and get all the assistance they need to drive safely.
What are the main challenges to wider EV adoption across the region beyond infrastructure?
My first message is that we see things changing. This journey has started and is accelerating. Since we launched, we’ve had four million people visit our web page, more than 43,000 people visit our showrooms and we’ve done more than 10,000 test drives. It’s a clear sign that the appetite for more sustainable mobility, whether EV or super hybrid, is coming.
There are some pain points that customers may experience or fear. Our job is to bring solutions. We bring solutions with the super hybrid because you can have an EV usage without the anxiety about autonomy and infrastructure. But we also promote pure EV because for certain types of usage, this is definitely the right solution.
Our job is to bring great products, and we do have great products, but also to bring infrastructure. Charge2Moov is the company we implemented two years ago that’s making sure every day we expand the number of charging points available for our customers, whether B2B or B2C customers, so charging isn’t an issue anymore.
We believe in investment and doing things, but we also believe in partnerships. We should partner with all the key stakeholders in this journey. We’re having very in-depth, positive discussions with electricity providers and other big players, whether government companies or private sector. We believe that in infrastructure, the journey is more a common journey than a competitive journey. We need to put all our efforts together to ensure all key players are working in the same direction to make it happen quicker and better.
What about parts supply chain and maintenance for BYD? How are you navigating those challenges?
We’re very confident that today we’re delivering the best customer experience in the country. First, we get support from BYD Global. That support comes from the products, we’re bringing great products. Second, the auto giant has more than 120,000 engineers working every day on technology. The support we get in terms of technology from the brand is world-class.
We make sure all cars we import to the UAE are perfectly suitable to local conditions. We all know summer here is extremely hot and conditions can be adverse. We ensure all cars are 100 per cent adapted, suitable and tested. This is a common job between us at Al-Futtaim and BYD Global, no compromise on product adequacy in the region.
As a distributor, our role is to provide an absolutely seamless after-sales experience. With 70 years of Al-Futtaim background, our footprint in the region, our network coverage and our expertise in after-sales and customer relationship management, we’re very confident we’re providing top-level service with the right parts, the right maintenance costs and the right packages to ensure people have a very relaxed after-sales experience with us.
How is Polestar performing in the UAE market?
Polestar is one of the iconic pure players in EV with European design and, I would say, European vibe. The products are great, highly technological but very simple in terms of design, very Swedish, very minimalistic. I personally like them very much.
By definition, as a pure-player EV brand, the playground is smaller, so we’re talking about lower volumes. But in this field, Polestar is really bringing value to customers and we have very enthusiastic customers about this product. We’re very happy with the outcome of Polestar with three great products and probably more to come in the future.
Looking ahead to 2026, what are the key trends you’re seeing in the automotive industry and sustainable mobility? What excites you and what concerns you?
Our focus is making things happen. The way is very clear and it’s given by the authorities. Our job is to help and be a key actor doing things every day to make things happen, best products, best brands, best customer experience to help the country transition toward more sustainable mobility.
But let me share a broader perspective. Automotive is about freedom. Historically, mobility is about freedom. Our goal and our job is to make that freedom sustainable, individual freedom suitable with collective sustainability. No trade-off about freedom, but being collectively responsible and sustainable to make sure that as human beings and as a planet, we have a future together.
It’s a bit philosophical, but I believe in this, and automotive OEMs and distributors should be part of it. I don’t believe in restricting people or putting limitations. I don’t believe in a punitive sustainability journey. I believe in a positive one because the objective is not negotiable — if not, we will massively damage the world collectively as a planet.
But I believe we can reach this objective while creating value, creating value for customers, creating value for economic players and creating value in terms of growth. I believe in sustainable growth.
About the Author
