All set to host the football world cup next year, Qatar is shifting gears to speed up its evolution as a smart ecosystem, and to keep up with regional peers like UAE. Among the measures that are being prioritised to make Middle Eastern cities sustainable and future-ready, development of electric mobility has received a lot of attention.

Charging stations with universal devices that power up e-cars of all brands, free parking for EVs and apps to locate chargers, are just some of the perks aimed at boosting e-vehicle ownership in the UAE. As part of a similar push in Qatar, the country's water and electric authority has set up its its fastest charging point, which can power up an electric wagon in less than 10 minutes.

This may be the first of its kind unit in Qatar, but it's the 19th charging station set up by the power body Kahramaa, which has a target of launching 500 points by 2022. Apart from their high-speed charger, the organisation has deployed a solar station, similar units for buses and one more for night-time charging.

Soon malls, government buildings and hotels will also be equipped with quick-charging systems, and 20% of these will be backed by renewable energy. The nationwide cluster of chargers will be crucial, once 1,100 buses start carrying fans across Qatar during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The introduction of innovative stations in the electric vehicle charging network is a precursor to Qatar's plans for building a massive unit for e-buses. The facility with 10,000 solar panels will be used to power up a growing fleet of electric buses in the country, using clean energy.

Among similar initiatives in the gulf, Abu Dhabi has already rolled out systems to charge a bus within 20 minutes. It's neighbouring Emirati smart hub Dubai is even testing a mechanism where moving vehicles can draw electricity from the road.