EV maker Lucid Motors said on Monday it partnered with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to develop autonomous driving (AD) and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) technology.
According to Lucid’s SVP of Product and Chief Engineer Eric Bach, the collaborative R&D in Saudi Arabia will allow the carmaker to access “high-performance computing” and accelerate the company’s AI and engineering activities.
“It dramatically enhances our ability to develop advanced fluids, materials and alloys, simulate real-world physics for crash safety and structural optimization, model fluid dynamics and thermal transfer, analyze electromagnetic flux, and accelerate AI training for digital twin technology, autonomous systems, and large language models,” Bach stated.
Founded in 2009, KAUST is a graduate research university located on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. It focuses on interdisciplinary work in science and technology.
The Saudi-backed carmaker said joint efforts will also focus on “the design and prototyping of next-generation components and systems, integrating disciplines such as mechanical, electrical, thermal, and chemical engineering.”
Marc Winterhoff, Lucid‘s Interim CEO, said in a statement that the partnership will allow the EV maker to “boost our technology leadership in many dimensions, including our ADAS and AD roadmap—bringing cutting-edge innovation from the lab to the road.”
Lucid’s VP and Managing Director for the Middle East, Faisal Sultan, said in January that the company is “on track to produce over 10,000 vehicles annually” in Saudi Arabia. He added that production schedules would be adjusted based on overseas demand.
Lucid has been partnering with multiple local companies as it continues to transform its assembly plant in Saudi Arabia into a complete build unit (CBU).
In February, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with the country’s National Automotive and Vehicle Academy (NAVA) to train the local workforce, ahead of starting production of both its models in the country.
Lucid opened its first manufacturing plant outside the United States in September 2023 in Saudi Arabia. The facility began operations with Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) assembly, relying on vehicle kits pre-manufactured at its primary factory in Arizona.
Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has a stake of about 60% in Lucid and has founded EVIQ as a joint-venture company with the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC).
Lucid x EVIQ
Also earlier this year, the company signed another agreement with the charging startup EVIQ to expand the partnership announced in mid-2024. Last year, the EV maker said it signed a strategic agreement with the company to collaborate in developing public high-speed charging capabilities in the Kingdom.
The company claims that will build 1,000 charging points equipped with a total of 5,000 EV chargers across the Kingdom by 2030.
Lucid Gravity in Saudi Arabia
In late January, Lucid began taking orders for the Grand Touring variant of its Gravity SUV in Saudi Arabia, with prices starting at SAR 487,715 ($130,035).
After beginning to accept orders in the U.S. and Canada, the company added a third market, with orders in the UAE expected to open in the coming weeks.
The Grand Touring is available to order immediately in Saudi Arabia, while the lower-priced Touring variant will be “available to order soon,” the California-based company said.
