Lucid Motors: Powering Saudi Arabia’s Sustainable Future

Lucid Motors is playing a pivotal role in Saudi Arabia’s electric vehicle transformation, aligning its advanced technology and manufacturing expertise with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives. The luxury automaker is establishing a significant regional presence through retail studios in Riyadh and Dubai, a dedicated service center, and a major assembly plant located within King Abdullah Economic City. With strong backing from Saudi investment, Lucid aims to reach a global production capacity of 500,000 vehicles while simultaneously cultivating local talent and advancing the nation’s clean mobility goals.

A landmark achievement for the company was earning the prestigious “Saudi Made” certification, making Lucid the first automotive Original Equipment Manufacturer to receive this recognition. This distinction underscores the company’s identity as a producer of world-class vehicles utilizing Saudi expertise, directly reinforcing the National Industrial Strategy and solidifying the Kingdom’s position as a hub for advanced manufacturing.

Faisal Sultan, President of Lucid Motors Middle East, emphasizes the strategic importance of their AMP-2 facility in the King Salman Automotive Cluster. He states that this plant represents a crucial move toward localizing electric vehicle production and is instrumental in achieving Saudi Arabia’s target of manufacturing 500,000 EVs each year. As the Kingdom’s first and most sophisticated EV manufacturing plant, it demonstrates Lucid’s long-term commitment to the region and its economic diversification.

The ultimate goal of these efforts is a fully certified ‘Made-in-Saudi’ electric vehicle, a testament to the strategic alignment between Lucid’s vision and the Kingdom’s industrial ambitions. The company’s flagship model, the Lucid Air sedan, is renowned for its advanced technology and performance, delivering an industry-leading range of up to 830 kilometers. More recently, Lucid introduced the Gravity SUV, which inherits the brand’s proprietary technology to offer unparalleled versatility, sports car performance, and rapid charging capabilities.

Sultan notes that a high-volume, midsize SUV is central to Lucid’s growth strategy and will be manufactured within Saudi Arabia. This new platform is designed to make the brand’s signature class and technology accessible to a wider audience. Local manufacturing will create skilled jobs, strengthen supply chains, and help establish the Kingdom as a major player in the global EV market.

The AMP-2 facility is a cornerstone of Lucid’s global manufacturing strategy. Alongside the existing AMP-1 plant in Arizona, it enables the company to efficiently fulfill a government agreement to purchase up to 100,000 vehicles over a decade. The Saudi facility maintains global quality standards, with a current focus on assembly while incorporating cutting-edge processes from the U.S. plant. This global diversification enhances production capacity and strategically positions Lucid to serve the Middle East and other international markets from a highly competitive base.

A key aspect of Lucid’s mission is developing Saudi talent. Currently, nearly 69 percent of the onsite workforce are Saudi nationals. The company is deeply committed to empowering local professionals, many of whom received hands-on training at the U.S. facility. Through partnerships with the Human Resources Development Fund and the National Automotive and Vehicles Academy, Lucid is investing significantly in human capital, with programs designed to train over a thousand Saudi employees in EV manufacturing and related technologies.

Lucid’s regional expansion continues with 39 studios worldwide, including locations in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dubai, and a forthcoming studio in Al Khobar. The Jeddah location is strategically positioned near the AMP-2 facility, enabling faster vehicle delivery and providing customers with a seamless purchasing experience.

The collaboration between Lucid and Saudi Arabia is a powerful example of a public-private partnership. The establishment of AMP-2 was made possible through direct support from the Public Investment Fund, along with significant investments from the Ministry of Investment, the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, HRDF, KAEC, and the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority.

To create a comprehensive EV ecosystem, Lucid has partnered with EVIQ to develop a public fast-charging network and with Turning Point to provide efficient home charging solutions for customers. A memorandum of understanding with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology focuses on advancing battery technology research and rigorous vehicle testing to support the Kingdom’s growing automotive and energy sectors.

Further collaborations with KAUST aim to accelerate the development of clean-energy technologies and create career opportunities for graduates. An MoU with the National Automotive and Vehicles Academy is designed to bridge the gap between technical education and industry needs, developing a skilled workforce for the automotive sector.

Lucid Middle East has also formed strategic industry partnerships. A collaboration with Blacklane integrates Lucid’s EVs into its premium chauffeur fleet across Saudi Arabia, supporting sustainable luxury mobility. A partnership with the Saudi Authority of Accredited Valuers enhances repair quality and ensures fair compensation for vehicle owners through knowledge exchange and training.

In the UAE, Lucid’s partnership with Dubai Police introduced the Lucid Air Grand Touring to the tourist police patrol fleet, showcasing advanced EV technology and supporting the UAE’s green economy plans. An agreement with e& UAE integrates high-performance SIM cards into Lucid vehicles, ensuring customers remain seamlessly connected.

On the sustainability front, Lucid’s vehicles are perfectly aligned with the Saudi Green Initiative’s objectives to combat climate change and transition to a green economy. The company’s hyper-focus on efficiency minimizes environmental impact by using smaller batteries to achieve longer ranges and consuming less energy per mile. The Lucid Air, for instance, is the first vehicle globally to achieve 8.0 kilometers of range per kilowatt-hour, while the Gravity SUV is the most efficient and fastest-charging SUV on the market. This efficiency results in up to 20 percent lower carbon emissions per mile compared to the average EV and nearly 300 percent less than a conventional gasoline car. Sustainable materials, including recycled fabrics and responsibly sourced leather, are used throughout the vehicle interiors.

The “Made in Saudi” certification has become a benchmark for quality and reliability. For Lucid, it validates the company’s deep investment in the Kingdom and confirms that its locally produced electric vehicles meet and exceed global standards for innovation and sustainability. This recognition highlights Lucid’s role as a catalyst for economic diversification.

As Lucid scales its operations, it stands as a driving force for innovation, job creation, and clean energy leadership in Saudi Arabia. By merging cutting-edge electric vehicle technology with the goals of Vision 2030, Lucid is not only manufacturing the future of mobility but also empowering a new generation of Saudi professionals and accelerating the Kingdom’s sustainable industrial transformation.

(Source: Economy Middle East)