This Sci-Fi EV Could Decide Whether Saudi Arabia Ever Builds Cars Again
At a Glance
- Ceer unveiled its first two EVs, the Exobot sedan and SUV, on Monday
- Sales in Saudi Arabia start early 2027
- Five more models planned by 2030, backed by BMW engineering and Foxconn tech
- Past Saudi car projects with Jaguar Land Rover and Toyota both collapsed
Saudi Arabia is betting big on electric cars, and this time it’s not just paperwork and press releases – it’s a working car with gullwing doors.
Ceer, the joint venture between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Foxconn, revealed its first two vehicles Monday in King Abdullah Economic City. The Exobot sedan and SUV skip the usual center pillar for a sleeker, more futuristic look and open with upward-swinging doors straight out of a sci-fi film. Sales begin in early 2027, with five additional models arriving by 2030.
Key Details
BMW handled the engineering, Foxconn built the electrical architecture, and Saudi-based suppliers from the US, Korea, Germany, and China now support local production – a network that didn’t exist during Saudi Arabia’s earlier, failed attempts at building a car industry.
Why It Matters
Ceer is stepping into an industry being reshaped by Chinese EV makers, while names like Fisker and Lordstown have already gone under. CEO Jim DeLuca called the strategy deliberately slow: “It only takes one mistake, and you can kill a startup.” Ceer is also hedging with hybrids and combustion models alongside EVs, betting the market won’t move as fast as expected.
What to Watch
Whether Ceer can actually deliver by 2027, and whether Gulf-backed manufacturing becomes a real challenger to established automakers.
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Source: Reuters
