Iraq Gets Its First EV and It's a British One. Why This Matters

If history has taught us anything is that cars can also serve as a mean of identifying when something important takes place in any given region. It may sound biased, as we are an automotive news outlet, but it is true. At any time in the 20th and the 21st century you can trace something important happening in a country by looking at its car history. This industry shows if a nation is ready to become a big player on the international stage, or if it has achieved a level of industrialization that makes others envious.

It’s a sign of economic strength to have cars, brands, factories, suppliers, specialized employees, and auto events happening within the borders of a country. All these important elements build a new culture and bring clients to businesses for years as generations form their own taste in cars. They also nurture the development of other types of activities that revolve around vehicles. New communities form when cars appear. Competition springs up. Get the export part ready, and you’re on the path to a major victory. The entire landscape shifts and grows with vehicles. It’s like magic, only that it’s not. To be a successful carmaker requires a lot of planning and strategy. You must make the right decisions and anticipate people's needs, or you’ll lose.

Today this might not be that true anymore, as the global economy is intertwined. A carmaker can be American, but it will have its biggest production numbers in Asia or Europe. There’s no more national hegemony when it comes to vehicles. China is the best example here, as European carmakers are scrambling to sign partnerships with local entities that'll help them have a strong presence in the country with the biggest population on Earth. That - and for many other reasons - is why you should celebrate this moment for Iraq.

A new beginning for Iraq with a Jaguar EV

The STA dealership has recently presented its modernized headquarters in Baghdad that also includes an up-to-standard and digitalized service center. With the opening, they also announced that the I-Pace will be available for test drives. Prospect clients can already book their desired time with the EV. This is a momentous occasion. It sparks the EV revolution in a country that has made the headlines all over the world only because something bad was happening there. There are not many good things known about Iraq at the moment, but this fully electric Jaguar shows change is here. It doesn't matter if you or I know this car for more than four years. For Iraq it is important.

It might sound too hyped up but mark my words: Jaguar will be remembered for this. True, having another three dealerships in the region also helps.

Moreover, the dealership showed it would run entirely on renewable energy - a major plus for an EV like the Jaguar I-Pace. This in itself is another premiere for Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. It gives confidence that the Middle Eastern country is changing for the better and soon people’s lives will improve. It’s a clear sign of a recovering economy and nation that’s healing from years of unrest. Images published by STA Jaguar Iraq that you can see in the gallery speak for themselves.

There’s not much known about how an EV can work in Iraq and if future owners will have an easy life finding charging spots, but at least there’s some proper progress being made. The dealership has charging points available, but national and local authorities will have to work harder on their plans to keep the country powered up. There have been issues with Iran recently that pushed the Iraqis towards Turkey’s and Saudi Arabia’s energy markets.

But, for the first time in what feels like ages now, there’s real hope for major improvement. Who knows, maybe even the tourism sector will soon feel this initiative's butterfly effect!

And, yes, Land Rover is there too! They held important events in the country since 2020.

An electric car with British engineering, heritage and design, from an Indian-owned automaker that uses contract manufacturing in Austria, and buys important parts from Poland, has opened the door to a new world in the Middle East. Just look at how many magnificent things can happen when we work together instead of fighting each other.

Who should follow next? Is Tesla going to take the chance on Iraq now? Or Nio? The door has been opened. Let’s see who enters.