Last month, I met a brother who was working on the Kazakhstan line at the Horgos Port. He had just delivered a batch of BYD Song PLUS DM-i. I asked him if pure electricity was easy to run now, and he shook his head: "Last year, I thought so too. I sent a batch of pure electricity. As a result, customers reported that the battery life in the winter dropped sharply and it was difficult to find charging piles. Later, I didn't dare to do more. Now hybrid is the main force, and customers actively ask about hybrid products."

If this were two years ago, no one would have believed it. At that time, when exporting new energy, pure electricity was the absolute protagonist, and hybrid electricity was only a supporting role. But the market has changed-the shortcomings of pure electricity in Central Asia and the Middle East are being exposed, while the advantages of hybrid electricity are becoming more and more obvious.

The core reason: It is not that hybrids have suddenly become better, but that the shortcomings of pure electricity are too prominent in these two markets.

The current situation of charging infrastructure in Central Asia can be summed up in one sentence: almost none. Except for large cities such as Almaty and Tashkent, no public charging piles can be found except in the Urban area. Winter temperatures in Central Asia can reach minus 30 degrees, and battery life is directly discounted at half. The cross-city distance is often hundreds of kilometers, and I am not sure if I drive pure electricity when I go out.

The situation in the Middle East is slightly better. Charging networks in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are being built, but the coverage density is far from enough. What is more critical is the usage scenario-consumers in the Middle East are accustomed to long-distance driving, and more than 100 kilometers from Dubai to Abu Dhabi is daily life. Pure electricity has a very real anxiety about replenishing energy in this scenario.

Hybrid solves this problem. "Oil and electricity" is not a technical compromise, but an adaptation to the real needs of the market. Electricity saves money when there is electricity. When there is no electricity, fuel and run. You don't have to change your driving habits and worry about not being able to find charging piles. Cui Dongshu's analysis also confirms this point: energy preferences in Central Asia and Russian-speaking regions are tilting towards cost-sensitive fuel vehicles and hybrid cars. In the low oil price environment of the Middle East, hybrid vehicles are more in line with actual use conditions than pure electricity.

Tax and fee policies are fueling the flames

Kazakhstan implements zero import tariffs on pure electric vehicles and tandem hybrid vehicles (EREV), and maintains tariffs on ordinary fuel vehicles at 15%. Pure electricity and extended range have advantages in terms of taxes and fees, but the shortcomings of the on-site use experience of pure electricity have offset the policy dividends. Hybrid extended-range models receive a zero-tariff dividend and do not have the anxiety of battery life of pure electricity. This is the reason why Kazakhstan customers prefer hybrids. According to feedback from car dealers, customers in Kazakhstan can receive up to 15 customers a day, and the one who asks the most about hybrid models.

There are large differences in taxes and fees among countries in the Middle East, but there is one thing in common for hybrid operations-controllable tariff costs. Saudi Arabia has a basic tariff of 5%, pure electricity is 0%, but hybrids and fuel only charge 5%. Qatar is more friendly. It is exempt from value-added tax, vehicle purchase tax and consumption tax throughout the territory. Only a single tariff of 5% is charged on the import link. The fuel, hybrid and pure electricity tax rates are completely consistent.

Qatar's tax structure is particularly friendly to hybrid operations. Pure electricity does not have an absolute advantage in taxes and fees in the Middle East, but it has obvious shortcomings in terms of user experience, and the competitiveness of hybrid electricity naturally increases. More importantly, the United Arab Emirates has relaxed the age limit for new energy vehicles (including pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles) to five years, which is two years longer than that of fuel vehicles. When withdrawing vehicles, there is more room for choice.

There is the supply and demand gap in the United Arab Emirates market

Data from the CarSwitch platform for July 2026 shows an alarming number-about 25% of buyers search for hybrid models, but only about 1% of hybrid cars are listed on the platform. Gasoline vehicles account for more than 95% of the listings, and the supply gap of hybrid vehicles is as high as 24 percentage points.

The platform's evaluation of this phenomenon is: "Hybrid search volume is growing faster than any other fuel type on the platform. The interest is real, but the supply has not kept up."

The reasons for the supply shortage are not complicated. It has been two to three years since the large-scale entry of hybrid cars into the market in the United Arab Emirates. The circulation of used cars takes three to five years, and it is now in the early stages of supply climbing. In addition, because hybrid car owners have obvious fuel-saving effects and have a longer holding period, there are fewer vehicles entering the second-hand market.

Which hybrid models sell best in Central Asia and the Middle East?

In the Kazakhstan market, BYD Song PLUS DM-i is an absolute star model. Extended-range models are also rapidly increasing, and models such as Ideal and Deep Blue, which can be used for oil and electricity, have real demand in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Customers in Kazakhstan have a direct understanding of hybrid vehicles-"It can be used for oil and electricity, and it can be driven without charging."

The mixing preferences of the Middle East market are slightly different from those of Central Asia. The most sought-after hybrid used car in United Arab Emirates is the Toyota C-HR, with a listing price of about 80,000 to 84,000 dirhams for the 2022 to 2023 model. BYD Song PLUS also has active second-hand transactions in Dubai, with a listing price of 2026 models ranging from 125,000 to 140,000 dirhams. Toyota Camry Hybrid has been in the Dubai market for a long time, and local dealers commented that "reliability combined with hybrid technology is a smart choice for the Gulf market."

Several practical reminders

First, not all hybrids can benefit from policy dividends. Kazakhstan's zero tariffs only apply to pure electric vehicles and serial hybrid vehicles (EREVs), and the import tariff on traditional parallel hybrids (such as Toyota THS systems) remains at 15%. Before withdrawing the car, first understand the policy classification of the target country, and don't use parallel hybrids as an extended range.

Second, the after-sales supporting equipment is decided to repurchase. The maintenance of hybrid cars is more complex than that of pure fuel vehicles, and the motors, batteries, and electronic control systems all require professional equipment diagnosis. Local technicians in Central Asia are already learning hybrid diagnosis, and independent battery repair shops have appeared in Bishkek, Almaty and Tashkent, which shows that the market is spontaneously making up classes. But if you are shipping to a market in batches, it is best to establish a cooperative relationship with the local repair shop first and keep up with the supply of parts.

Third, the high temperatures in the Middle East are a test for batteries. Summer temperatures in the United Arab Emirates can reach 50 degrees, and the battery cooling and air conditioning system loads of hybrid cars are much greater than those in temperate markets. Dubai's Legend Holding Group is already optimizing vehicle air conditioning systems for the local high temperature and sandy environment, which shows that the market is aware of this problem. When collecting a car, give priority to those with a complete battery test report, and don't send a car with batteries that will be protected from overheating when it reaches the Middle East.

One last word

Pure electricity is not without opportunities in Central Asia and the Middle East, but its application scenarios at this stage are limited to areas covered by commuting and charging facilities in the Urban area. The advantage of hybrid is that it does not require any changes in the market, does not need to wait for infrastructure, and does not need to cultivate user habits. It can be used when it comes. This is the greatest competitiveness in markets like Central Asia and the Middle East.

Source: Digital Automobile Export Xingchen

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