Author: Farid Nasser

AVL and Saudi electric vehicle manufacturer CEER have signed a letter of intent to expand their partnership, strengthening cooperation on electric vehicle development and supporting the growth of Saudi Arabia’s automotive industry. The agreement, signed during the Private Sector Forum (PIF), broadens the companies’ existing collaboration and covers multiple stages of vehicle development. Partnership Covers Full EV Development Process Under the expanded agreement, AVL will support CEER across the complete vehicle development cycle, including high-voltage system integration, simulation, testing, validation, and homologation. AVL said the collaboration is intended to accelerate the development of new electric vehicles while helping bring them…

FedEx has deployed 14 Mercedes-Benz eSprinter electric delivery vans in the United Arab Emirates, marking the first introduction of the German-built electric model in the Middle East as the logistics company expands its zero-emission vehicle operations. The vans are being used for pick-up and delivery services across all seven Emirates. According to the company, the fleet is expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 148 metric tonnes of CO₂ annually. See also: FedEx Adds Electric Trucks to Japan Fleet in Push to Cut Urban Emissions The deployment forms part of FedEx’s broader goal of achieving carbon-neutral global operations by 2040.…

Chinese autonomous driving companies have temporarily suspended commercial robotaxi operations in Dubai following regional missile strikes that affected parts of the United Arab Emirates. Baidu’s Apollo Go said it has paused testing and ride-hailing services in Dubai in line with local government arrangements and safety considerations, according to a report by China Star Market. The company said it has made appropriate arrangements for its local team and will resume operations when authorities provide further guidance. WeRide has also halted its robotaxi fleet in Dubai and is awaiting notification to restart services, the report said. However, WeRide’s robotaxi operations in Abu…

German engineering firm FEV and Saudi electric vehicle brand Ceer have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on innovation, industrial development and knowledge transfer, as Saudi Arabia seeks to build a domestic automotive sector. The agreement, signed in February on the sidelines of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) Private Sector Forum in Riyadh, aims to combine the companies’ expertise to accelerate technological development and strengthen the Kingdom’s mobility ecosystem. Officials from the Saudi Ministry of Investment attended the signing. Ceer was established in 2022 by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund PIF in partnership with Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn to…

WeRide and Uber have launched a commercial robotaxi service in downtown Abu Dhabi, expanding autonomous ride-hailing coverage to about 70% of the emirate’s core urban areas as part of broader plans to scale operations across the Middle East. The service, operated via the Uber app, connects major districts including Khalifa City, Masdar City and Rabdan, as well as routes between Corniche Road and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The expansion was endorsed by Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre. See also: WeRide, Uber Plan 1,200 Robotaxis in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh by 2027 Riders can be matched with WeRide’s Robotaxi…

Baidu and Uber Technologies said on Tuesday they have partnered with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to introduce the Apollo Go autonomous ride-hailing service on Uber’s platform in the emirate. The service is expected to launch in the coming month, initially allowing users to access fully autonomous rides through the Uber app at designated locations in Dubai’s Jumeirah area. See also: Baidu’s Apollo Go, K2 Launch Driverless Ride-Hailing Service in Abu Dhabi According to a statement from Baidu, service coverage will gradually expand across the city, subject to operational performance and regulatory approvals. Within the designated zone, passengers booking…

Chinese new energy vehicle maker BYD has officially entered Egypt’s passenger vehicle market, extending its expansion across North Africa as it accelerates growth in overseas markets. BYD said it held a brand launch event in Egypt on Feb. 4, introducing three models through a partnership with local conglomerate Mansour Group. The lineup includes the BYD Dolphin, the Song Plus EV and the Song Plus DM-i plug-in hybrid, which will be sold locally under the names Dolphin Surf, Sealion 6 EV and Sealion 6 DM-i. See also: BYD Says Sodium-Ion Batteries Reach 10,000-Cycle Life, Mass Production to Depend on Demand The…

Autonomous driving company WeRide and ride-hailing platform Uber Technologies said they will deploy at least 1,200 robotaxis across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh by 2027, in what the companies described as the largest commercial robotaxi commitment in the Middle East and North Africa. The vehicles will be available through the Uber app and rolled out progressively, subject to regulatory approvals and operational milestones. The three cities are part of a broader plan announced earlier by the partners to launch robotaxi services in 15 cities globally, with 12 additional locations expected by 2030. See also: WeRide Unveils GENESIS Simulation Platform to…

Aito, the premium automotive brand jointly developed by Seres and Huawei, has formally launched its international expansion, targeting the Middle East after gaining traction in China’s domestic market. The brand said on Friday it had signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Performance Plus Motors, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Motors (ADM), to enter the United Arab Emirates. The agreement was signed at Aito’s headquarters in Chongqing and marks the official start of the brand’s overseas growth phase. See also: Aito Rolls Out One-Millionth Vehicle as Premium Brand Scales Up in China Under the partnership, Performance Plus Motors will handle sales,…

Silicon Valley-based autonomous vehicle company Tensor has secured federal approval from the United Arab Emirates to test fully autonomous Level 4 personal vehicles nationwide, marking a key regulatory milestone ahead of planned commercial launches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 2026. The permit was granted by the UAE Government’s Regulations Lab (RegLab) in coordination with Dubai Roads and Transport Authority and Integrated Transport Centre, authorizing Tensor to conduct regulated testing activities across all Emirates. See also: Lyft, Tensor to Launch Consumer-Owned Autonomous Vehicles on Rideshare Network Tensor said the approval enables real-world validation of its autonomous driving technology under federal…

Faraday Future has delivered FX Super One electric multi-purpose vehicles to two new partners in the United Arab Emirates, advancing the company’s plans to begin sales and deliveries in the region in 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. The California-based automaker said it held a delivery ceremony in Ras Al Khaimah for the UAE Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and local automotive service provider Blue Sea Auto, which it described as “co-creation partners” for the FX Super One programme. Faraday Future said the deliveries form part of its broader Middle East expansion strategy. The company operates a regional factory and operations…

Chinese autonomous driving technology company MINIEYE has signed a memorandum of understanding with ewpartners in Hong Kong to jointly enter the Middle East market, with initial plans focused on deploying autonomous logistics vehicles in Saudi Arabia, the company said. The agreement marks MINIEYE’s first overseas expansion of its Level 4 autonomous driving business and its official entry into the Middle East. Under the partnership, the two sides plan to explore large-scale deployment of autonomous logistics vehicles, targeting up to 1,000 units across the region before 2030, according to a statement posted on MINIEYE’s WeChat account on Jan. 20. See also:…

Tesla has officially begun deliveries of its Cybertruck in the United Arab Emirates, marking a new phase in the electric pickup’s international rollout as the automaker expands beyond North America. The first customer handovers were celebrated at a launch event in Dubai, where Tesla staged what it described as the country’s largest Cybertruck light show. A video shared on social media platform X showed a lineup of stainless-steel Cybertrucks illuminated in synchronised patterns as deliveries formally got underway. With the UAE launch, the Cybertruck becomes available on public roads in only the second market outside North America, following its debut…

Rockwell Automation said it will deploy its FactoryTalk manufacturing execution system (MES) software at Lucid Motors’ electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia, supporting production operations and workforce development at the Kingdom’s first vehicle manufacturing site. The plant, located at King Abdullah Economic City on the Red Sea coast, is set to produce Lucid’s future midsize electric vehicles. Rockwell Automation said its enterprise software platform will manage production across all five major manufacturing shops at the site: general assembly, paint, stamping, body and powertrain. The FactoryTalk MES system will provide real-time visibility, traceability and operational control across the facility, with…

A modified Zeekr 7X has become the first battery-electric vehicle to successfully climb Abu Dhabi’s Moreeb Dune, completing the ascent in a record time of 7.343 seconds during the Moreeb Dune Cars Championship at the Liwa International Festival. The run, recorded on Dec. 31, 2025, marked the fastest time in both the electric vehicle and hybrid categories at the event, which is traditionally dominated by internal combustion engine vehicles. Moreeb Dune, located on the edge of the Rub’ al Khali desert, is widely regarded as one of the most demanding dune climbs in motorsport, featuring a roughly 300-metre ascent and…

ADNOC Distribution has opened a large electric vehicle fast-charging hub on a major highway linking Abu Dhabi and Dubai, signalling a broader push to expand charging infrastructure across the United Arab Emirates. The new site, described by the company as an “EV Megahub,” features 60 DC fast-charging points and is located along the E11 highway, one of the country’s busiest transport corridors. ADNOC Distribution said the project forms part of its plan to electrify most of the UAE’s highway network by the end of 2027. “The inauguration of ADNOC Distribution’s EV Megahub is a significant step in implementing the UAE’s…

Lucid Group is on track to begin full-scale vehicle production at a new manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia in 2026, its interim chief executive said, marking a key step in the company’s international expansion and the kingdom’s push to build a domestic electric vehicle industry. Speaking on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, interim Chief Executive Marc Winterhoff said Lucid has started transferring equipment to its new plant at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) near Jeddah. “We are on track,” Winterhoff said, adding that the company plans to ramp up output over several years, according to remarks…

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has granted Apollo Go, Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing unit, the emirate’s first permit for fully driverless vehicle trials, enabling operations without a human safety driver on designated public roads. The permit clears a regulatory pathway for Apollo Go’s planned commercial launch in the first quarter of 2026, positioning Dubai as the company’s first international market for fully autonomous ride-hailing services. See also: Regeny Opens Ultra-Fast EV Charging Hub Near Dubai Airport as UAE Pushes Fleet Electrification The approval was formally issued during the opening of Apollo Go Park, a 2,000-square-meter operations hub in downtown Dubai…

Regeny EV Charging has opened a new ultra-fast electric vehicle charging hub near Dubai International Airport, expanding high-power charging access along one of the Middle East’s busiest transport corridors as the United Arab Emirates accelerates adoption of electric mobility. The facility, located at the Mövenpick Grand Hotel Al Bustan, is equipped with four 160 kW direct-current chargers and is designed to serve both private motorists and high-utilisation commercial fleets, including taxis and limousines. Regeny said the site operates around the clock and can be accessed without entering airport premises, reducing congestion and turnaround times for airport-bound vehicles. The launch comes…

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng said it has made further progress in expanding its presence across the Middle East and Africa, announcing new market entries, partnerships and infrastructure investments as part of its overseas growth strategy. The company recently held a brand launch event in Doha, marking its official entry into the Qatari market. Xpeng said the move represents a key step in deepening its footprint in the Middle East, positioning Qatar as a strategic gateway for future regional expansion. The company also showcased products from its flying car subsidiary, Aridge, at the event. See also: Xpeng Research on Autonomous…