ROSHN and EVIQ Accelerate EV Adoption in Saudi Arabia

ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia's leading real estate developer and PIF-owned giga-project
ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia's leading real estate developer and PIF-owned giga-project
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ROSHN and EVIQ Accelerate EV Adoption in Saudi Arabia

ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia's leading real estate developer and PIF-owned giga-project
ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia's leading real estate developer and PIF-owned giga-project

ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia's leading real estate developer and PIF-owned giga-project, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Company (EVIQ), a leading provider of EV charging solutions to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across Saudi Arabia.
Under the terms of the MoU, ROSHN and EVIQ will cooperate in evaluating, assessing and developing direct-current infrastructure solutions for EVs within residential communities and commercial properties developed by ROSHN spanning the Kingdom.

The MoU is a significant milestone in ROSHN's and EVIQ's efforts to promote the adoption of EVs to create a more sustainable future for the Kingdom. This agreement represents a new era of accessibility and convenience for the public, aligning with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 objective of increasing the number of electric vehicles on the roads of Riyadh to 30%.

"We are delighted to be working with EVIQ as part of our strategy to implement cutting-edge technologies and partner with best-in-class collaborators,” said CEO of ROSHN Group David Grover.

“This agreement underscores our dedication to creating a robust EV ecosystem, which began with ROSHN Front, the iconic Riyadh destination with over 800,000 visitors each month, proudly hosting EVIQ's inaugural public EV charging facility,” he said.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our collaboration to provide EV charging infrastructure throughout ROSHN's humanized, integrated communities across the Kingdom,” he added.

The CEO of EVIQ, Mohammad Baker Gazzaz, said the agreement signals the commitment of both companies to a mutual objective of improving quality of life.

“EVIQ's advanced EV charging technology combined with the coverage of ROSHN's integrated communities and properties will result in a widespread network of high-speed chargers in strategic locations around the kingdom, which will result in a positive experience for EV users and support the EV adoption objectives of Saudi Arabia."

The collaboration between ROSHN and EVIQ will also see the launch of the Kingdom's first fast-charging public site launch at ROSHN Front in Riyadh.

This strategic alliance aims to leverage the expertise of both entities to enhance the infrastructure and support systems crucial for the widespread adoption of EVs in the region.

The partnership with EVIQ aligns with ROSHN's ambitions to raise the bar for the real estate industry through innovation, sustainability, and integrity.



Oil Rises as Mideast Tensions Overshadow China Data Concerns

Oil pump jacks work at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jessica Lutz/File Photo
Oil pump jacks work at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jessica Lutz/File Photo
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Oil Rises as Mideast Tensions Overshadow China Data Concerns

Oil pump jacks work at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jessica Lutz/File Photo
Oil pump jacks work at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jessica Lutz/File Photo

Oil prices climbed on Wednesday, rebounding from 7-week lows, as the killing of a Hamas leader in Iran ratcheted up tensions in the Middle East and overshadowed concerns about weak China demand.

Brent crude futures climbed $1.80, or 2.29%, to $80.43 a barrel by 1038 GMT ahead of expiry on Wednesday, while the more active October contract was up $1.85 at $79.92.

US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up $2, or 2.68%, to $76.73 a barrel.

A 0.4% fall in the US dollar index also lent support to prices. A weaker dollar can boost demand for oil by making greenback-denominated commodities like oil cheaper for holders of other currencies.

A day earlier Brent and WTI both fell about 1.4%, closing at their lowest levels in seven weeks.

Tension in the Middle East heated up on news that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran.

This came a day after the Israeli government claimed it killed Hezbollah's most senior commander in an airstrike on Beirut in retaliation for Saturday's rocket attack on Israel.

Separately, the United States also conducted a strike in Iraq in the latest conflict in the region.

"Overnight developments and elevated geopolitical risk merely provide temporary reprieve for oil benchmarks. Unless oil and gas infrastructure is hit, the latest spike is unlikely to last," said Gaurav Sharma, an independent oil analyst in London.

Still, Brent and WTI are on track in July to post their biggest monthly loss since October 2023 on lingering concerns about China's demand outlook and expectations OPEC+ will stick to their current deal on production and start unwinding some output cuts from October.

Top ministers from OPEC+, will hold an online joint ministerial monitoring committee meeting (JMMC) on Thursday.

Slowing fuel demand in China, the world's largest crude oil importer, is also weighing on oil markets.

China's manufacturing activity in July shrank for a third month, an official factory survey showed on Wednesday.

"Concerns about Chinese demand remain elevated as today's PMIs declined, with the manufacturing sector further contracting. This suggests that any additional gains due to intensifying tensions in the Middle East may remain limited and short lived," said Charalampos Pissouros, senior investment analyst at brokerage XM.

In the US, crude, gasoline and distillate inventories fell last week, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday.

Data from the Energy Information Administration is due at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT) on Wednesday.

Crude inventories are expected to have fallen by 1.1 million barrels in the week to July 26, forecasts from 10 analysts polled by Reuters showed.