News

Saudi Arabia To Build 150,000 EVs Annually By 2026

In a bid to cut dependence on oil production and meet sustainable goals, the Kingdom will utilize its 61% share of startup Lucid Motors.

Published

4 years ago

October 25, 2022

Nour Nasir

Lucid Motors

Although Saudi Arabia is well-known as one of the world’s largest oil producers, the Kingdom has recently unveiled plans to build and export electric vehicles.

As part of the country’s “Vision 2030” strategy, the oil-rich nation will export over 150,000 EVs in 2026 to meet emissions targets and continue building a stable economy.

Although oil accounts for over 50% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP, the government is keen to diversify the economy to avoid market volatility and keep the nation’s industrial output current in a post-carbon world.

The move comes as countries worldwide continue to reduce carbon emissions and their reliance on fossil fuels. 2022 is turning out to be a record year for renewables, with research indicating that alternative energy sources entirely covered rising global energy demands in the first half of the year.

As this trend is almost certain to continue, Saudi Arabia aims to reduce its reliance on oil production dramatically, lowering the percentage of GDP from oil from 50% to 17%.

The Lucid Motors Partnership

lucid motors manufacturing plant saudi arabia

Saudi Arabia recently hit the headlines after its decision with OPEC+ to cut oil production, and now the nation is aiming its sights on a new market with EVs. Earlier this year, the Kingdom announced that it had committed to purchasing 50,000+ EVs from Lucid Motors after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) invested over $1 billion in the EV startup in 2018, resulting in a 61% stake in the company.

According to Khalid Al-Faith, Minister of Investments, construction begins at Lucid’s EV manufacturing plant in May 2023.

Related Topics:Automotive Lucid Motors Saudi Arabia

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News

For etisalat, More Bandwidth Is A Matter Of Digital Sovereignty

The etisalat group plans to expand its international capacity from 20 Tbps to more than 500 Tbps by 2030, with new routes designed for speed and resilience.

Published

2 days ago

October 6, 2026

Nour Nasir

for etisalat, more bandwidth is a matter of digital sovereignty

Emirates News Agency

By 2030, etisalat group plans to lift its international connectivity capacity to more than 500 terabits per second (Tbps), more than 25 times the 20 Tbps it has today. The group presented the expansion as preparation for rising AI demand and an important move for the UAE’s digital sovereignty.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, witnessed the launch of the project, which covers the UAE and international markets. Sheikh Mansour is also Chairman of the Emirates Investment Authority, etisalat group’s main shareholder.

He emphasized the role of coordinated national efforts in advancing the UAE’s AI and digital economy ambitions. “AI is a central pillar in our development journey moving forward,” he said, adding that developing the country’s digital capabilities would empower every institution, public and private, to build and innovate with AI “at the scale the coming decade will demand”.

“This project reflects our conviction that the UAE should not simply adopt AI, but govern it and build with it,” said H.E Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of etisalat group. “That requires digital infrastructure at a scale that would prepare us for the future”. He cast greater international connectivity as a strategic answer to the challenges of processing and moving data globally.

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Beyond raw bandwidth, the expansion will introduce new connectivity routes intended to improve reliability and efficiency, and Alzaabi tied them directly to the sovereignty goal. “Delivered through diversified routes and low-latency design, the project is set to keep the country’s connection to the global digital economy fast, direct and resilient, while ensuring the UAE’s digital sovereignty,” he said.

He also linked the plan to the group’s 50-year commitment to building infrastructure for the nation. The announcement didn’t mention what the expansion will cost. Nor did it name the new routes or say who will build them, the details that would show what digital sovereignty means in practice.