Saudi Arabia’s imports of electric cars equipped with an electric motor for propulsion jumped to 779 cars last year, compared to 210 cars imported in 2022, an increase of 271%.
The General Authority for Statistics said that the value of Saudi Arabia’s imports of electric cars last year amounted to 397.3 million riyals, compared to 52.3 million riyals in 2022, an increase of 65%.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has moved towards the localization of the automobile industry by attracting local and international investments to the sector, and worked to attract companies and factories, and launched its first brand of electric cars, “Sir”. It also witnessed the inauguration of the “Lucid” company and its first factories in Jeddah, under an agreement aimed at strengthening efforts. The Kingdom is witnessing a huge transition of electric cars, according to what was reported by Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper.
According to the General Authority for Statistics, last year three countries dominated electric car imports, accounting for 765 out of 779 cars.
The U.S. led with 459 cars valued at 282 million riyals, making up 58.9% of total imports, followed by Germany with 269 cars valued at 108 million riyals, comprising 34.5%. Together, the U.S. and Germany made up 93.4% of total imports. China ranked third with 37 cars worth 5 million riyals.
While France came with four cars worth 189,000 riyals, Britain three cars worth 655,000 riyals, while the remaining number were imported from Belgium and Estonia with two cars for each country, and one car for each of Spain, Turkey and Italy.
In 2022, the number of imported cars reached 210, with America at the forefront with 55 cars, followed by Spain with about 46 cars, 34 cars from China, 32 cars from South Korea, 29 cars from Germany, in addition to 10 cars from Poland, and two cars each from France and Britain.
Saudi Arabia has approved 73 models of electric vehicles from 12 manufacturing companies in six countries around the world to enter the Saudi market.
The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization is responsible for issuing model approval certificates and assessing vehicle safety documents. This is done in line with the technical regulations for electric vehicles, ensuring that they meet safety standards and undergo testing appropriate to the Kingdom’s climate conditions.
In 2022, the Kingdom signed an agreement with Lucid for a minimum purchase of 50,000 electric vehicles. Additionally, the Swiss company “IBB,” a leader in electric vehicle charging solutions, contracted to supply chargers for the Saudi Petromin Electric Mobility Solution Company. The chargers will be installed across 100 gas stations nationwide.
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