RIYADH: For Hamed al-Rafidain, a Saudi human resources employee, an electric car provides delightful benefits, especially since his other car is a fuel-guzzling four-wheeler favoured by motorists in the desert country.
The 39-year-old is a member of Saudi Arabia’s small but growing Electric customer foundation, which aims to be a hotspot for the technologies as it seeks to expand its economy away from oil.
Royal company news outlet Al-Iqtisadiyah reports that the EV industry in the world’s largest oil producer is still relatively small in comparison to the United States and China, but it tripled last year to almost 800 cars.
” What drove me to buy an electric vehicle was financial considerations”, said Rafidain, who spends up to 2, 000 riyals ($ 530 ) a month on fuel for his off-road vehicle.
” Maintenance fees are even lower compared to a conventional car, with no oil changes and no brake-pad substitutes”, he added, pointing to the engine-free storage space under the hood of his new vehicle.
BYD, a Chinese EV company, is anticipated to rule the Royal market. There are no retailers in the Gulf Kingdom for its international foe Tesla, which is based in the US.
With eight million people living there, traffic jams in Riyadh contribute to the city’s higher levels of pollutants.
Rafidain claimed that he chose an EV because of environmental issues, noting that electric cars “help decrease global warming in places.”
He purchased a BYD for less than$ 53,300, which he generally uses for quick trips around the capital.
– Vehicle problems-
Saudi Arabia’s large size and a lack of charging facilities make it so popular that many people choose to use their EVs for shorter trips as alternatives to conventional cars.
Using an EV for travel outside the city was a “gamble, especially since the system is still underdeveloped”, Rafidain said, noting the range of current batteries is only about 400 kilometres ( 250 miles ).
The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Company ( Eviq ) is putting charging stations elsewhere, with a goal of 5, 000 by the year 2030, while BYD and Lucid install them directly at customers ‘ homes.
EV rates remain high in Saudi Arabia, where energy prices are lower than in most places, with a gallon of diesel costing$ 0.62.
A car from Lucid, which opened a shop in Jeddah last year after a billion-dollar Saudi purchase, costs$ 92, 000, but the appearance of BYD is expected to make Vehicles more economical.
EVs are less common among Saudis, according to industry analyst Hossam Iraqi, because of their size and performance in intense warmth.
” Most existing electric vehicle production is small to medium-sized, which does not suit the needs of huge Royal people”, he said, adding the Gulf country’s extreme heat has an effect on cell efficiency.
– Royal wave-
Seller Hassan Mohammed anticipates solid EV sales this year as need grows both domestically and internationally.
” More than one car manufacturer has opened its doors in the country and today offers after-sales company, which has encouraged users”, he said at an museum in northern Riyadh, where Saudis test-drove vehicles.
Al-Iqtisadiyah reported in April that Saudi Arabia imported just 779 Vehicles in 2023, up from 210 the past year, citing standard Saudi data.
The state is even ramping up local production.
Proceeding, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, now owns 60 % of Lucid and has negotiated with Hyundai to set up a factory there to produce both electric and hybrid vehicles.
Also, Saudi EV manufacturer CEER, launched in 2022, plans to start output in 2025.
Earlier this year, Saudi Industry Minister Bandar al-Kharif said the state was aiming to create 300, 000 EVs periodically, without giving a timeline.
Kuwait, targeting carbon independence by 2050, was also in discussions with battery manufacturers, he said.
For today, some still prefer hybrid cars, which use both chargers and diesel to move long distances.
” The harmony between electricity and gas is inexpensive and convenient”, said Omar el-Shami, a 43-year-old Egyptian doctor, as he charged the vehicle he bought for his family.
” Issues may change in the future”, he said.
