Luxury electric vehicle maker Lucid Group has opened its first international manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia, which is expected to produce 155,000 electric vehicles a year.
Backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the California-based company has started assembly of its first luxury sedan – Lucid Air – at the factory near Jeddah, Lucid Group said in a statement on Wednesday.
The plant in the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) is Lucid’s second advanced manufacturing plant (AMP-2), with the first (AMP-1) in Arizona, the company said.
The AMP-2 has the capacity to assemble "5,000 Lucid vehicles annually" on a semi knocked-down basis. Currently, it reassembles Lucid Air vehicle kits that are pre-manufactured at AMP-1.
“As Saudi [Arabia] charges towards its Vision 2030, our facility will pave the way for the country’s electric automotive industry and the expansion of the supply chain,” said Peter Rawlinson, Lucid's chief executive and chief technology officer.
The move will "support the country's vision for a more sustainable and diversified economy”.
Electric vehicles will make up about half of the new car sales worldwide by 2035, as the push for net-zero carbon emissions accelerates, Goldman Sachs says.
Electric car markets are experiencing exponential growth, with sales exceeding 10 million last year, a report by the International Energy Agency said. A total of 14 per cent of all new cars sold were electric in 2022, up from about 9 per cent in 2021 and less than 5 per cent the previous year, it said.
In the first quarter of this year, more than 2.3 million electric cars were sold globally, about 25 per cent more than in the same period last year, the agency said.
Lucid was founded in 2007. In 2018, the PIF invested more than $1 billion in the company to acquire a substantial stake, helping to accelerate its manufacturing plans. Lucid became the first EV start-up to go public through a special-purpose acquisition company in July 2021.
The plant at KAEC is also expected to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s strategic goal to transform and diversify its economy through the development of sustainable energy and transport, Lucid said.
“AMP-2 in KAEC … gives us the ability to efficiently fulfil the recently signed agreement with the government of Saudi Arabia to purchase up to 100,000 vehicles over a 10-year period, with an initial commitment to purchase 50,000 vehicles and an option to purchase up to an additional 50,000 vehicles over the same period,” said Faisal Sultan, vice president and managing director Middle East at Lucid Group.
In March last year, US-listed Lucid signed agreements with the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Industrial Development Fund and KAEC for the factory.
The company aims to step up production to 150,000 units annually by the later half of this decade, when it plans to produce complete vehicles at the Saudi plant, it said.
Lucid also expects to employ “hundreds of Saudi nationals in the first few years and eventually grow the workforce into the thousands”, through an agreement with the kingdom’s Human Resources Development Fund.
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Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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- Fly it within visual line of sight
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
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Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
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