{"id":126510,"date":"2026-05-12T12:21:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T12:21:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alj.com\/?post_type=perspective&p=126510"},"modified":"2026-05-12T12:21:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T12:21:38","slug":"can-technology-drive-forward-a-green-mobility-revolution","status":"publish","type":"perspective","link":"https:\/\/alj.com\/en\/perspective\/can-technology-drive-forward-a-green-mobility-revolution\/","title":{"rendered":"Can technology drive forward a green mobility revolution?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our world is transforming at an unprecedented pace.\u00a0 Global politics are realigning.\u00a0 Social media is liberating voices long subdued.\u00a0 Energy systems are shifting to sustainable electrification.\u00a0 AI is reshaping vast swathes of our daily lives. \u00a0Yet still we inhabit a physical realm, a world where people and goods need conveying<\/a> from place to place just as they did centuries ago.\u00a0 Travel and trade underpin much of modern society\u2019s limitless potential.\u00a0 The methods of this mobility, however, are undergoing a series of radical shifts.<\/p>\n

New Energy Vehicles<\/a> (NEV) are fast replacing fossil fuel technologies.\u00a0 Plug-in charge networks<\/a> are the gas stations of tomorrow.\u00a0 A new epicenter of car production<\/a> has emerged as a genuine rival to traditional OEM hubs.\u00a0 Smart mobility<\/a> solutions are redefining conventional notions of ownership. Autonomous vehicles<\/a> are taking the chore of driving out of human hands.\u00a0 As for the congestion caused by the surging number of vehicles on city roads?\u00a0 Airborne taxis<\/a> offer a tantalizing solution.<\/p>\n

Mobility, it seems, is truly moving with the times.<\/p>\n

How much is China driving forward the global motor industry?<\/h2>\n

Think of vehicle production and certain images spring to mind: Shiny new Fords snaking along conveyor belts in America, dependable Renaults emerging from proud French factories, or sleek Maseratis raising eyes enroute to showrooms in Italy.\u00a0 Yet there is a bold new rival in car manufacturing worldwide, one which is rapidly leaving these traditional production hubs in the dust: China.<\/p>\n

China<\/a> is now the largest single producer of motor vehicles globally, fulfilling some 40% of the market by 2025.[1]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0Having doubled its unit numbers since 2010, China now dwarfs the output of historic motoring rivals in Europe and America, which account for approximately 15% each.\u00a0 In 2024 China produced more than 31 million vehicles, up 22% from 2019, with the collective output of the USA, Canada and Mexico providing the only real competition at 19.8 million units combined.[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Soaring production numbers are mirrored by growing sales of Chinese vehicles worldwide.\u00a0 China and fellow emerging economies such as India now account for more than half of all car sales globally, up from just 20% at the turn of the century.[3]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Latest figures show these trends continuing deep into 2025, with Chinese sales rising 14% from the previous year, far outpacing the USA (+4%) and Europe (flatlined at +0%).[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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China has triumphed by creating a winning proposition for motorists: Affordable cars with few quality compromises.\u00a0 That formula has overcome long-held stigmas that vehicles from emerging economies cannot compete in terms of reliability and durability with models from traditional automotive powerhouses.<\/p>\n

It is increasingly common to see Chinese marques such as BYD (4.6 million sales in 2025), Geely (3 million), Chery (2.6 million) and GWM (1.3 million) cruising the highways worldwide.[5]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 BYD was the world\u2019s fourth bestselling car brand in the first half of 2025 with 31% year-on-year growth, behind only Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford, and with expectations of overtaking the latter by the year\u2019s end.[6]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 It is estimated that by 2030 China will manufacture one-third of all the world\u2019s new cars.[7]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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Little surprise that China is a key focal point for Jameel Motors<\/a>, the international mobility brand within the Jameel family\u2019s Abdul Latif Jameel network of businesses.\u00a0 Jasmmine Wong<\/a>, Chief Executive Officer, Jameel Motors, understands that China\u2019s pioneering attitude to electric vehicles (EVs) \u2013 its leadership in automotive electrification<\/a> \u2013 lies at the root of its recent soaraway success.<\/p>\n

\u201cChinese OEMs have been the biggest global exporters of cars since 2023, and that will only increase. \u00a0They are investing not only in terms of the physical vehicle, but also the technologies. \u00a0Their desire for success and willingness to take risks is amazing. \u00a0And because of their willingness to take risks, they are able to innovate very quickly. \u00a0They have all the ingredients to be masters of their destiny in the next five to 10 years,\u201d<\/em> says Jasmmine.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Is the whole world embracing the electric vehicle revolution?<\/h2>\n

As the world wrestles with the ramifications of the looming climate crisis, EVs are near-single-handedly transforming the way we power our personal mobility.\u00a0 EV sales reached 20.7 million units in 2025, a 20% growth from the previous year.[8]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Moreover, the trend is truly global: China sold 12.9 million EVs (+17%), Europe 4.3 million (+33%), and emerging markets combined for a further 1.7 million (+48%).<\/p>\n

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EVs now account for an unprecedented one-quarter of all vehicle sales globally.[9]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Almost half of all new vehicles sold in market-leading China are EVs, with most of them now cheaper than their internal combustion engine (ICE) equivalents.\u00a0 China warrants its status as the global epicenter of EV production, manufacturing 70% of all EVs via major brands like BYD, SAIC, Geely and GAC.<\/p>\n

Even with these surging sales, EVs might not have an entirely clear road ahead.<\/p>\n

In Europe, the EU had originally legislated to outlaw the production of all fossil fuel vehicles by 2035.\u00a0 In late 2025, however, that target was lowered to 90% of vehicles, albeit with compensatory measures including the use of green steel and the adoption of biofuels instead of petrol and diesel.[10]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

In the USA, the EV market is weathering the withdrawal of federal tax credits and the relaxation of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, with forecasters predicting a resulting decline in EV sales of 29% in 2026.[11]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

In China, EVs will attract a purchase tax for the first time in 2026, with the previous 100% exemption rate falling to 50% in future.<\/p>\n

Despite these hurdles, the global shift to sustainable motoring appears to be one-way traffic.\u00a0 Going forward, EV penetration around the world will continue to be buoyed by rising exports from China.\u00a0 BYD alone more than doubled its unit numbers shipped to foreign territories in 2025, from 0.4 million to 1 million.[12]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0Even with today\u2019s mixed bag of legislation, estimates suggest the proportion of EV sales is set to exceed 40% by the end of the decade.[13]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Competitive pricing will see battery vehicles secure a huge 80% market share in China by 2030, with Europe close behind on 60%[14]<\/a>.\u00a0 With strong policy support already in place EVs will account for one-in-four sales in Southeast Asia by the same date, or one-in-three in the case of the region\u2019s all-important two- and three-wheelers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What of the Middle East<\/a>?\u00a0 While starting from a relatively low base, the Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions for EVs globally.\u00a0 EV penetration in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) territories doubled from 2% to 4% in the space of just 12 months as governments set ambitious new green targets and spent heavily on infrastructure.[15]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 In Saudi Arabia, where EV sales grew tenfold in 2024, the industry is tipped to achieve a 37.5% CAGR between now and 2030 driven by fleet electrification mandates and large-scale public and private investments.[16]<\/sup><\/a>,[17]<\/a> <\/sup>\u00a0Abdul Latif Jameel\u2019s own sustainable motoring operations now span multiple countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, America and Australia, with recent expansion into upcoming markets such as Poland<\/a>, Italy<\/a> and South Africa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If this future is going to be as electrifying as it sounds, motorists need ample opportunities to conveniently recharge their vehicles.\u00a0 Fortunately, a comprehensive charging infrastructure is already taking shape around the world.<\/p>\n

Can infrastructure keep up to speed with EV surge?<\/h2>\n

If there is one thing likely to derail a sustainable EV revolution it is consumer inconvenience \u2013 the fear of motorists being left high and dry with a flat battery.\u00a0 Studies show that a perceived lack of charging stations is a primary barrier to broader adoption of electric vehicles[18]<\/a>.\u00a0 As such, the world is witnessing a dramatic expansion of EV charging networks.\u00a0 Globally, the number of public charging points has doubled since 2022 to more than 5 million units by 2025.[19]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

In 2024 alone more than 1.3 million new charging points were added to the global stock, a 30% year-on-year increase.\u00a0 Two-thirds of this growth occurred in China, which now houses 65% of the world\u2019s charging facilities[20]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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In Europe it is a similar story, with the EU\u2019s new Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) requiring the installation of fast-charging stations every 60km along the core TEN-T road network spanning the continent.\u00a0 Charge stations must offer at least 400 kW power output, rising to 600 kW by 2027.<\/p>\n

The USA\u2019s charging stock grew 20% in 2024 to more than 200,000 publicly accessible charge points, although an Executive Order of January 2025 paused the dispersal of further funds pending a policy review.\u00a0 India is proving more progressive, allocating a new US$ 240 million kitty under the PM-EDRIVE initiative to further boost charging infrastructure in cities and key transport corridors.<\/p>\n

Overall, the number of public charging points worldwide is expected to cross the 15 million threshold by 2030, and 25 million by 2035.[21]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Within this new mobility paradigm, it is not just people that need moving from A to B, but the goods and materials upon which we rely for our tech-driven 21st Century lifestyle.\u00a0 Sustainable mobility means greener logistics<\/a>, too.<\/p>\n

Is sustainable transport the solution to cleaner logistics?<\/h2>\n

The global logistics market grew from US$ 9.98 trillion in 2024 to US$ 11.23 trillion in 2025, and by 2028 is anticipated to exceed US$ 18.2 trillion, indicating rapid growth in international trade.[22]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Asia-Pacific emerged as the largest single market in 2025, with 44.59% of logistics concentrated within the region.\u00a0 Roads continue to be the most common method of transportation, conveying 39% of all goods traffic.<\/p>\n

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As consumers we want more products than ever; we are less concerned about where in the world our purchases are sourced; and we want them quicker than ever.\u00a0 Logistics mobility<\/a> becomes as important as human mobility for greening modern society.<\/p>\n

Electrification again promises to come to our rescue.\u00a0 EV truck sales<\/a> grew 80% in 2024 while the number of available models expanded from fewer than 70 to more than 400 in the space of five years.[23]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0\u00a0While purchase costs remain higher for EV trucks than fossil fuel equivalents, total cost of ownership is now lower in many cases in China, and will reach parity across Europe and the USA by the end of the decade.<\/p>\n

Heavy goods transport may be hard to electrify economically, which is why road cargo is at the forefront of one of the most promising solutions for greener mobility \u2013 hydrogen energy<\/a>.\u00a0 The hydrogen truck market reached a record US$ 3 billion valuation in 2025 and is projected to reach US$ 16.2 billion by 2030.[24]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0\u00a0The technology deploys hydrogen fuel cells to power electric motors, producing only water vapor as a byproduct and sharply reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional diesel-driven trucks.<\/p>\n

Hydrogen<\/a> likewise promises to unlock greener options for personal mobility: All hail the new wave of hydrogen-powered buses.\u00a0 The global hydrogen bus market, worth some US$ 1.68 billion in 2024, is expected to soar to US$ 13.21 billion by 2032 as more legislators promote clean-air initiatives in urban environments.[25]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Private sector support is integral for widespread uptake.\u00a0 Abdul Latif Jameel Motors, for example, joined forces with Toyota Motor Corporation in 2025 to run a groundbreaking hydrogen fuel cell bus trial<\/a> across Makkah, Saudi Arabia.\u00a0 The trial demonstrated the technical potential of hydrogen-powered buses, achieving 400km driving distances on just a 10 minute refuel.<\/p>\n

Despite its clear aptitude for greening the bulkier side of mobility, hydrogen is not limited to trucks and buses.\u00a0 Hydrogen cells lie at the heart of several cutting-edge concept cars<\/a>, suggesting that this revolutionary technology also has a future in the world of family logistics.<\/p>\n

Whatever type of vehicle you have in mind, one question must be asked which would have been unthinkable even a few short years ago: Do you want human hands to be in charge of driving, or would you rather delegate that task to an automated system?<\/p>\n

Are human drivers being replaced by autonomous vehicles?<\/h2>\n

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) were once the stuff of science fiction.\u00a0 Now, however, this futuristic concept is entering the real world via a range of new AI-driven cars offering varying degrees of independence in their day-to-day operation.<\/p>\n

What do we actually mean by autonomous vehicles<\/a>?\u00a0 There are several stages on the journey from traditional human-controlled vehicles to completely self-driving ones. \u00a0To help make sense of this, automation is usually categorized using a six-step scale, from Level 0 (where the driver does everything) to Level 5 (requiring no human intervention at all).\u00a0 A Level 1 car might feature a single automated system, whereas a Level 2 might be partially automated in terms of steering and acceleration.\u00a0 At Level 3 the vehicle drives itself some of the time, though the driver must take back control if requested by the vehicle. \u00a0At Level 4, the vehicle drives itself all of the time under optimal conditions.<\/p>\n

\"Autonomous<\/p>\n

Manufacturers are making rapid progress up the stages.\u00a0 Although a fully driverless world of Level 5 vehicles is still some way off, more breakthroughs are happening lower down the scale with each passing year, including:[26]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n