Lucid Motors, the American company, announced that it has assembled nearly 800 cars at its factory in Saudi Arabia since its opening, with a primary focus on training over 200 local employees, according to the company’s Middle East director. The company’s first factory outside the United States opened in September and has a production capacity of 5,000 electric vehicles per year, after the Saudi government committed to purchasing up to 100,000 cars over 10 years.
Assembly Process at the Factory
The car is built entirely in Arizona, then disassembled and shipped to the factory in Saudi Arabia as parts, and reassembled again at the factory in Jeddah. The battery is reconnected, decorations and tires are installed, and the vehicle is retested by factory workers.
Expansion Plans
Lucid intends to expand its factory in the future to be capable of manufacturing cars entirely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by 2026. The opening of the new factory depends on supply chains and workforce development. The company hopes that the factory will encourage key parts suppliers to establish a presence in the Kingdom.
Training and Development
Lucid is currently focused on training local employees at the current factory, where around 16 to 20 cars are assembled daily. Workers, half of whom are Saudis, are being prepared for the opening of a complete manufacturing unit capable of fully manufacturing the car in the future.
Saudi Investment
The Saudi Public Investment Fund has invested billions of dollars in Lucid, as part of the government’s plans to create a hub for electric vehicle manufacturing in the Kingdom. Lucid has reported cumulative losses of $9.5 billion through September and has been posting annual losses since its inception.
Impact on the Economy
The Lucid factory is expected to contribute to enhancing the Saudi economy by providing local job opportunities and developing the electric automotive industry.
Source: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2425636/business-economy
Leave a Reply