Lucid Motors to expand Saudi presence, scouting retail locations

Lucid Motors to expand Saudi presence, scouting retail locations

CHICAGO: Lucid Motors, the Californian electric vehicle (EV) carmaker part-owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), is scouting out locations for retail sales outlets in the Kingdom, CEO Peter Rawlinson told Arab News.

The cutting-edge manufacturer of high-end EVs broke ground on a manufacturing center in Arizona last year and is due to start full production on its first vehicles in spring 2021.

Although many compare Lucid to Tesla, Rawlinson called Lucid the first EV to compete with traditional luxury manufacturers such as Mercedes, BMW and Porsche. Lucid is on track, he said, to provide more affordable models that will offer higher mileage and nearly double the voltage capacity offered by Tesla.

Rawlinson said the $1 billion investment by the Kingdom's PIF was "vital“ in allowing the company to move forward with its larger vision to manufacture an affordable, efficient and sustainable transportation that will eventually replace gasoline-based vehicles.

"We are reciprocating, and we are going to do something amazing with PIF in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, and that will be very much in line with Vision 2030 to really reduce their economy's dependence upon fossil fuels,“ Rawlinson said.

"I think sunshine will last future generations longer than oil. And if they