Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) has entered into two strategic partnerships with Chinese mobility companies to fast-track advanced transport technologies in the emirate.
In the first deal, ADIO has signed a strategic partnership with ARIDGE (formerly known as XPENG AEROHT), described as Asia’s largest “flying car” company based in Guangzhou, China. Under the agreement, ARIDGE will gain access to Abu Dhabi’s regulatory support, dedicated testing corridors and the local market for its road-air integrated mobility solutions.
ADIO will collaborate with ARIDGE to navigate Abu Dhabi’s regulatory landscape and to facilitate test flights of next-generation aerial vehicles. Use case development will span multiple sectors: tourism and personal aviation experiences, urban and suburban passenger transport, emergency medical services and rapid response operations, and last-mile logistics and connectivity solutions.
This partnership supports the emirate’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries (SAVI) cluster, which aims to position Abu Dhabi as a global innovation hub for smart and autonomous mobility technologies. The cluster is projected to contribute AED 44 billion to the emirate’s GDP and create up to 40,000 high-value jobs by 2045.
Four core workstreams have been defined:
- Regulatory acceleration in coordination with the UAE aviation authorities to develop certification frameworks and safety protocols.
- Use-case development by co-creating application scenarios tied to existing transport infrastructure.
- Joint market deployment from prototype to operational service, including infrastructure planning and public acceptance initiatives.
- Ecosystem growth by strengthening investment links and attracting complementary technology providers to Abu Dhabi’s emerging aerial mobility sector.
“Abu Dhabi is advancing the future of urban living through transformative mobility. Aerial vehicles have the potential to redefine transport networks, ease congestion and create new connections across our cities. By creating the regulatory clarity and testing infrastructure that innovators like ARIDGE need, Abu Dhabi is building a competitive advantage in one of the most transformative technology sectors of this decade,” Badr Al-Olama, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) said in a statement.
“The transition from ground to air represents the next frontier in urban transportation. Abu Dhabi’s progressive regulatory environment, combined with its world-class infrastructure and geographic position, makes it an ideal partner for bringing flying vehicles from development into daily use. We’re excited to work with ADIO to demonstrate how aerial mobility will reshape the landscape of future transportation,” Zhao Deli, Founder and CEO of ARIDGE added.
A joint steering committee, comprising representatives from both organisations, will oversee the implementation of the partnership and ensure alignment with national aviation and urban planning objectives.
CaoCao to establish regional HQ in Abu Dhabi in electric and autonomous mobility push
In the second agreement, ADIO has teamed up with CaoCao Inc. (stock code 2643.HK), a mobility initiative of Geely Holding Group focused on tech-driven mobility.
Under this collaboration, CaoCao will establish its regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi and drive expansion across the UAE and wider region.
Initial focus areas include: commercial pilots for autonomous vehicles (robotaxi services) and battery-swap electric vehicles, connected to Abu Dhabi’s clean energy network.
The partnership also will explore knowledge exchange and talent development in tandem with UAE universities and research institutions, advance safety frameworks for smart mobility; showcase innovations at upcoming Abu Dhabi events; and host reciprocal internship programmes.
“Abu Dhabi is revolutionising smart mobility by bringing together global players to showcase their solutions in one of the fastest growing markets in the region. Our collaboration with CaoCao reinforces Abu Dhabi’s strategy to position itself at the forefront of next-generation mobility, diving innovation and investment across the transport ecosystem,” Al-Olama said.
“The partnership with ADIO is a key milestone in CaoCao’s global strategy about Robotaxi services. We are confident that by deeply integrating purpose-built vehicles, autonomous driving technology and efficient platform operations with the superior investment environment and support provided by ADIO, we can offer smarter, greener, and more convenient future mobility services to users in Abu Dhabi and the wider Middle East region,” Xin Gong, CEO, CaoCao Inc. added.
