According to people related to the matter, Lucid Motors has requested a permit to open a studio in The Netherlands, the first one in Europe. The studio will be located in Hilversum, which is 30km from the capital Amsterdam, and will be on the same building previously used by a BMW dealership. Lucid has currently 24 Studios in the United States and one in Vancouver (Canada) expecting to open another 19 during this year. You can check every location and the upcoming Lucid Studios here.
Recently,the company inaugurated its newest Studio location at The Mall at Short Hills in Short Hills, New Jersey. This location serves as the 22nd in the company’s growing North American retail network. Lucid has 5 new studios planned to launch during the next months. New Jersey has long sought to encourage new business growth as part of its electrification goals. Lucid looks forward to making further investments and hiring in the State as the legislature considers equitable treatment for consumers and electric vehicle manufacturers in alignment with those efforts — the company said.
Recently the company announced the signing of agreements with the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (“MISA”), the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (“SIDF”), and the Economic City at King Abdullah Economic City (“KAEC”), as it lays the groundwork for a full production factory in Saudi Arabia. The agreements are expected to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s strategic goal to transform and diversify its economy through the development of sustainable energy and transportation. Lucid estimates that the location of Lucid’s first international manufacturing plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may result in up to $3.4 billion of value to Lucid over 15 years, and the facility will enable Lucid to address growing demand for Lucid’s products.
“Lucid aspires to be a catalyst for change wherever we go, so it makes perfect sense that we are bringing electric vehicles to one of the world’s biggest oil producing nations. Establishing a global manufacturing footprint is a practical, natural step and enables us to grow our brand, scale our business, and address worldwide and untapped market demand on an entirely new level, while also taking action to address climate change through inspiring sustainable transportation,” said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO, Lucid Group. “Our strong relationships with the Public Investment Fund and our partners at MISA, KAEC, and SIDF also give us unique insight into the demand for luxury cars and SUVs in Saudi Arabia and beyond, and we are thrilled to introduce the world’s most advanced electric vehicles to more global markets.”
Lucid anticipates that Saudi Arabia’s efforts to foster an automotive ecosystem through its Saudi Vision 2030 should yield cost savings for Lucid as well as environmental benefits, with reduced transportation of product to the customer. The project should also enable opportunities for Saudi Arabia to diversify and transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy and transportation. Lucid expects to employ several thousand people at its KAEC facility once full production capacity is established, the majority of which are expected to be Saudi Arabian citizens. Lucid has established an internship program with the PIF to provide educational opportunities and training for Saudi Arabian citizens at Lucid’s facilities in California and Arizona to develop talent for operations in Saudi Arabia. The company, in addition, will build and run dedicated training centers in KAEC to support skills development for the workforce.