King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the Kingdom’s national laboratory, and Lucid Group, the manufacturer of some of the world’s most advanced electric vehicles, have announced the inauguration of the first Electric Vehicle Innovation Center in the Middle East, located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to KACST, the center serves as a key platform bringing together local, regional, and global research expertise, reflecting KACST’s ongoing commitment to innovation and reinforcing Lucid’s leadership in advanced technologies.
It is focused on enhancing the efficiency, functionality, and performance across Lucid’s product portfolio, contributing to their accelerated development, strengthening their leadership within their segment, and supporting the growth of the Kingdom’s future mobility sector.
Interim CEO at Lucid, Marc Winterhoff, stated that, “This new innovation center embodies our ongoing commitment to leading the advancement of electric vehicle technology, and our support toward strengthening Saudi Arabia as a hub for technological innovation. By combining Lucid’s engineering expertise with KACST’s advanced research capabilities, we will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our teams are eager to begin the planned work together, recognizing this research will help shape the future of sustainable mobility.”
Senior Vice President for Research and Development at KACST, Dr. Talal bin Ahmed Al-Sedairy, emphasized that the center represents a pivotal step in enabling Saudi talent to develop future technologies in electric vehicles, batteries, and smart systems. The center enhances local content and bolsters the Kingdom’s capabilities in advanced industries, supporting the goals of Vision 2030 and broader national aspirations. It unites scientific research with advanced industrial applications within a single framework, fostering the growth of a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.
“The opening of this center is a major step forward in Lucid’s commitment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This collaboration strengthens our regional presence, nurtures local talent, and contributes to building a vibrant technology ecosystem aligned with Vision 2030,” said Faisal Sultan, President of Lucid Middle East.
The center was developed in collaboration with KACST, one of the Kingdom’s leading research, development, and innovation institutions, forming the second phase of the ongoing strategic partnership between the two parties. Its purpose is to advance scientific research, support innovation, and develop sustainable technologies by leveraging specialized Saudi expertise.
The center will dedicate its efforts to advanced research, support the dissemination of the company’s world-leading technologies, and play a pivotal role in developing future products. It will serve as a key pillar of the Kingdom’s national research and development infrastructure and actively contribute to the innovation and industrial application of future technologies within the country.
