Abu Dhabi taxi fleet reaches 99% hybrid or electric
About 99% of Abu Dhabi's taxi fleet of more than 6,147 vehicles is now hybrid or electric, according to figures reported by Gulf News. The Integrated Transport Centre operates the emirate's two taxi services, which recorded more than 60 million passenger journeys in 2025, with smart bookings at 18% of the total.
Our thoughts A Gulf fleet that is almost fully electrified shows taxi operators will buy these drivetrains at scale, which makes fleet tenders a practical early route for hybrid suppliers in the region.
Jeddah International Motor Show opens its 20th edition
The 20th Jeddah International Motor Show runs from 4 to 7 November at the Jeddah Center for Exhibitions and Events, with free public entry from 5 November, under the patronage of the chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation. Petrol, hybrid, battery-electric and range-extender models are on show, with Chinese brands such as JAC, Forthing and ICAR among the announced exhibitors.
Our thoughts The weight of Chinese and range-extender brands in Jeddah is a useful early signal of Saudi buyer interest for distributors in neighbouring markets, including Oman, planning their 2027 line-ups.
UAE caps vehicle registrations at five per person from 2027
New executive regulations under the UAE federal traffic law take effect on 1 January 2027. An individual resident may register up to five vehicles, with an extra fee, not yet set, for the third to the fifth. Registration will cost AED400 (USD109) and renewal AED350 (USD95) plus AED150 (USD41) for inspection, some light vehicles up to six years old may be registered for two years, and right-hand-drive vehicles are limited to display use.
Our thoughts Dealers and leasing companies should model how the new per-vehicle fees and the five-car ceiling affect multi-car households, one of the UAE's steadier sources of repeat sales.
Online car platform Cars24 and Dubai used-car dealer Alba Cars have announced a deal that makes Alba Cars part of the Cars24 group; no financial terms were disclosed. Together they retail more than 1,000 vehicles a month in the UAE, about 300 of them through Alba Cars, which keeps its brand and management.
Our thoughts Consolidation in UAE used-car retail strengthens the buyers of trade-ins, which matters to franchised dealers whose new-car sales depend on trade-in values.
Updated Mercedes S-Class and Maybach make regional debut
Mercedes-Benz showed the updated S-Class and Mercedes-Maybach S-Class for the first time in the region in Abu Dhabi on 3 November, as part of its 140th-anniversary events. Prices, engine line-ups and delivery dates for the region were not given.
Saudi Arabia recalls 1,262 RAM pick-ups over trailer-brake fault
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Commerce has announced a recall of 1,262 RAM 1500, 2500 and 5500 trucks from the 2025 and 2026 model years. A fault in the trailer control module can stop a towed trailer's lights and brakes from working; the truck's own brakes are unaffected. Petromin Stellantis will carry out the repairs.
Our thoughts Saudi recalls are announced by the ministry and run by the local distributor, so importers of US-built pick-ups should plan for the cost and workshop capacity of campaigns like this.
Toyota and Geely launch plug-in hybrid SUVs in the UAE
Al-Futtaim Toyota has launched the RAV4 plug-in hybrid in the UAE in two all-wheel-drive trims at AED154,900 and AED169,900 (USD42,200 and USD46,300). On the same day AGMC opened pre-orders for the Geely Monjaro EM-i at AED130,900 to AED149,900 (USD35,600 to USD40,800), quoting up to 116 km of electric range under WLTP.
Our thoughts A mainstream Japanese brand and a Chinese rival now offer plug-in hybrid SUVs within a few thousand dollars of each other, giving Gulf distributors a clear price benchmark for the segment.
UAE cuts November pump prices after October's rise
The UAE Fuel Price Committee has lowered prices for November: Super 98 falls to AED4.16 a litre from AED4.40, Special 95 to AED4.04 from AED4.28 and diesel to AED4.75 from AED4.80. October prices had risen by about 16% with Brent crude above USD100 a barrel.
Our thoughts Monthly swings in UAE pump prices keep running costs in the sales conversation, which favours hybrids and plug-in models over conventional petrol cars.
Briefs summarise reporting by the outlets linked under each item; follow the links for the original. Our thoughts are our own view, for general information only and not advice. See our disclaimer.
