Lucid Motors and its supplier Rockwell Automation announced on Wednesday that their agreement will be expanded to also cover the EV maker’s Saudi Arabia plant.
The factory in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) is being upgraded for full vehicle production, after starting with semi-knocked down (SKD) kits.
Full production is set to start in late 2026, roughly three years after the first vehicle assembled in Saudi Arabia rolled off the line.
According to a joint statement, Lucid will use Rockwell Automation’s solutions, including its FactoryTalk manufacturing execution system (MES) software.
The system is designed to “manage and optimize production operations across all major shops: general assembly, paint, stamping, body, and powertrain.”
It will allow Lucid to have real-time visibility, traceability, and control across its operations, supporting the production of the company’s future vehicles.
“Lucid‘s adoption of FactoryTalk MES is a strategic move that will deliver measurable outcomes in operational efficiency, quality, and scalability,” said Ahmad Haydar, the head of Rockwell’s operations in Saudi Arabia.
In addition to the software, Rockwell’s local team in Saudi Arabia will provide instructor-led and virtual training programs to “cultivate a skilled workforce that will drive sustainable industrial growth and help power the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives.”
Saudi Arabia aims for 30% of all vehicles in Riyadh to be fully electric by 2030 and to cut emissions to reach net-zero carbon goals by 2060.
Earlier Collaboration
“Rockwell Automation has been a trusted partner throughout our journey, from our Arizona factory to our expansion in Saudi Arabia,” said Faisal Sultan, Lucid‘s President of Middle East.
Late last year, during the Rockwell Automation Fair 2025, the company had already revealed that it was leveraging Rockwell technologies to support scale-up activities for the Gravity SUV.
During Rockwell’s Investor Meeting held last November, the company invited Lucid‘s VP of Manufacturing Gaetano Cantalupo to share more details on the supply agreement.
Questioned on how important it was for the company to have a strong digital foundation while expanding globally, Cantalupo said “consistency is absolutely critical.”
“We are on a very fast pace. We are building […] I’d like to say the most advanced vehicle,” the executive stated, adding that “to do this, you really need to push the boundary of the innovation to the limit. And not only, we are doing in a very high speed.”
Cantalupo noted that, years after Lucid began production of the Air Sedan, at its Casa Grande, Arizona plant (AMP-1), it has “quadrupled” its footprint, moving “from 800,000 square feet to close to 4 million.”
“Our vehicle, our car, I mean, is different. It’s a really software-defined product. Now, to build this, you need to software–define your manufacturing process, and this is what we are doing,” the VP concluded.
Saudi Production
Last month, Lucid‘s Chief Financial Officer Taoufiq Boussaid reaffirmed that the company planned to begin production in its Saudi plant in late 2026.
A gradual ramp up output would follow in 2027 and 2028 before reaching a maximum capacity of 150,000 vehicles in 2029.
The EV maker’s interim CEO Marc Winterhoff reiterated the timeline last week, adding that “we’ve already started moving equipment and we’re on schedule.”
Lucid will produce its mid-size platform in Saudi Arabia, which will allow it to bypass tariffs on imported parts from China.
The company is targeting exports of over 90% of its Saudi factory output, as noted last year by Faisal Sultan.
It remains unclear whether the California-based company plans to produce its third model exclusively in the Middle East plant or also in the US.
As of press time, Lucid’s shares were trading 16% higher at $11.29 during Wednesday’s trading session, a day after Cantor Fitzgerald revealed that the EV maker’s main backer “remains committed” to Lucid.
