From The Verge · Andrew J. Hawkins · · 1m 40s
Saudi Arabia's wild new Exobots make Cybertruck look tame
A Saudi startup backed by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund and Foxconn just unveiled two hyper-futuristic electric vehicles that look like they drove out of a sci-fi movie.
In brief
A Saudi startup backed by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund and Foxconn just unveiled two hyper-futuristic electric vehicles that look like they drove out of a sci-fi movie. Saudi Arabia is using bold, attention-grabbing EV designs to establish itself as a serious player in global auto manufacturing, despite the…
Saudi Arabia enters the EV game
Saudi startup Ceer just unveiled two hyper-angular, spaceship-like electric vehicles called the Exobot sedan and SUV, with plans to launch five more models by 2030.
Design straight from sci-fi
The Exobots feature gullwing doors, razor-thin LED light bars, and wedge-shaped bodies that evoke Tron and Blade Runner. Rob Melville, McLaren's former design director, led the design with final approval from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Backed by oil wealth and tech
Ceer is a joint venture between Saudi Arabia's PIF sovereign wealth fund and Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that manufactures iPhones for Apple. The company will use the kingdom's oil wealth to build electric vehicles.
Tapping global auto talent
Jim DeLuca, who spent 37 years at General Motors and rose to executive VP for global manufacturing, joined Ceer as CEO. He told Reuters the company wanted to show the world what Saudi Arabia is capable of.
“We wanted to make sure the world could see what Saudi Arabia is capable of.”
Sales start in 2027
The Exobot sedan and SUV are expected to launch in Saudi Arabia starting in 2027. Ceer plans a diversified lineup including hybrids and combustion engines depending on market demand.
Risky bet in a graveyard
Starting a car company from scratch is notoriously difficult. Fisker, Lordstown, and Arrival all went bankrupt, while Lucid, also backed by PIF, still struggles despite Saudi funding.
What to remember
Saudi Arabia is using bold, attention-grabbing EV designs to establish itself as a serious player in global auto manufacturing, despite the country's historical focus on oil.
