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Foundation Stone Laid for First Lucid Plant in Saudi Arabia

Saudi government and Lucid Motor’s officials at a ceremony to sign agreements for the development of a production facility in the Kingdom, Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi government and Lucid Motor’s officials at a ceremony to sign agreements for the development of a production facility in the Kingdom, Asharq Al-Awsat
    Riyadh - Saeed al-Abyad
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Foundation Stone Laid for First Lucid Plant in Saudi Arabia

Saudi government and Lucid Motor’s officials at a ceremony to sign agreements for the development of a production facility in the Kingdom, Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi government and Lucid Motor’s officials at a ceremony to sign agreements for the development of a production facility in the Kingdom, Asharq Al-Awsat

US-based Lucid Motors on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for its first-ever electric car plant outside the US at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in the Saudi western city of Rabigh.

Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef announced that Saudi Arabia is targeting manufacturing of more than 300,000 cars annually by the year 2030.

He said this during the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday. The electric vehicle giant’s first international plant at KAEC targets manufacturing of 150,000 vehicles per year.

Alkhorayef, who is also chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF), said that Lucid’s choice of Saudi Arabia as the headquarters of its first plant in the Middle East confirms the Kingdom’s competitiveness and its ability to exploit a number of advantages it enjoys.

These advantages are the distinguished geographical location, and the ability to connect with many regional and global markets, in addition to good infrastructure and quality of services. The KAEC plant aims to export more than 85% of its production.

According to the minister, the dossier of the automotive industry in the Kingdom is one of the important files that the national strategy for industry has taken into account as it is one of the complex industries that contribute to the development of supply chains for many products.

“The Kingdom aims to manufacture cars to cover the local demand and export globally. The volume of spending on cars in the Kingdom during the year 2020 reached nearly SR40 billion while the size of the Saudi market exceeds more than half a million cars annually, which represents 50% of the Gulf market,” he said.

He noted that the SIDF has provided financing for the construction of the Lucid plant, with a value of more than SAR5 billion.

Alkhorayef said that the establishment of a new manufacturing center for Lucid company in Saudi Arabia comes in line with the Kingdom's directions aimed at diversifying the economic base, especially the development of the industrial sector.

Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih said that the Lucid project is vital in its investment value, the added value that will result from it, and its impact on the balance of payments, by increasing exports, contributing to environmental transformation, and reducing carbon emissions from the Kingdom.

Al-Falih added to Asharq Al-Awsat that the most important impact of the project is that it stimulates the value chain in advanced industries. Electric cars are a modern and advanced technology, and they are evolving. He explained that Lucid is known for being the best in this field, in terms of vehicle efficiency, batteries, and the technologies they contain and transport.

“The expected impact will affect industries other than the automobile industry, because it will also stimulate scientific research, product development, and the associated supply chains of basic materials, whether the industries of metals, iron, aluminum and plastics,” said Al-Falih.

For his part, Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson said that a new and important stage in Lucid’s journey to stimulate the adoption of sustainable energy technologies and solutions was launched with the new factory in Saudi Arabia.

“The new manufacturing facility is starting to support this trend from its headquarters in Saudi Arabia,” said Rawlinson.

“We are pleased to collaborate with the Public Investment Fund and the Saudi government on agreements to support our shared vision in the field of global sustainability,” he added.

The Saudi government had agreed to buy between 50,000 and 100,000 electric vehicles within ten years from Lucid Motors, which is part-owned by Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Ministry of Finance said in a press statement in September 2021.

The agreement is part of the Vision 2030 plan to diversify away from fossil fuels and create a more sustainable society.

Lucid currently manufactures cars at a plant in Arizona and the KAEC plant would assemble its electric vehicles. The factory is expected to eventually build up to 150,000 electric vehicles per year.

Both factories will build the new vehicles ordered by the Saudi government. The KAEC plant will provide thousands of jobs for Saudis. PIF owns 61 % of the California-headquartered Lucid company.

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Saudi Arabia Raises $12 Billion in International Bonds Amid Strong Demand

Skyscrapers are seen in King Abdullah Financial District in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (Reuters).
Skyscrapers are seen in King Abdullah Financial District in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (Reuters).
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Saudi Arabia Raises $12 Billion in International Bonds Amid Strong Demand

Skyscrapers are seen in King Abdullah Financial District in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (Reuters).
Skyscrapers are seen in King Abdullah Financial District in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (Reuters).

Saudi Arabia has raised $12 billion from global debt markets in its first international bond issuance of the year, attracting bids worth nearly $37 billion. This demonstrates strong investor appetite for Saudi debt instruments.

The issuance comes just two days after the approval of the 2025 annual borrowing plan by Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan. The plan estimates financing needs for the fiscal year at SAR 139 billion ($37 billion). The funds will be used to cover the projected SAR 101 billion ($26.8 billion) budget deficit for 2025, as well as repay SAR 38 billion ($10 billion) in principal debt obligations due this year.

The National Debt Management Center (NDMC) announced on Tuesday that the issuance includes three tranches: $5 billion in three-year bonds, $3 billion in six-year bonds, and $4 billion in ten-year bonds. Total demand for the bonds reached $37 billion, exceeding the issuance size by three times and reflecting robust investor interest.

The NDMC emphasized that this issuance aligns with its strategy to broaden the investor base and efficiently meet Saudi Arabia’s financing needs in global debt markets.

According to IFR, a fixed-income news service, the initial price guidance for the three-year bonds was set at 120 basis points above US Treasury yields. The six-year and ten-year bonds were priced at 130 and 140 basis points above the same benchmark, respectively.

Strong demand allowed Saudi Arabia to lower yields on the shorter-term bonds, further demonstrating investor confidence. Economists noted that the pricing above US Treasuries is attractive in the current market, showcasing trust in Saudi Arabia’s economic stability and financial strategies.

International confidence

Economic experts view this successful bond issuance as a testament to international confidence in Saudi Arabia’s robust economy and financial reforms. Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani, an economics professor at King Faisal University, said the move underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to diversifying financing tools both domestically and internationally. He added that the funds would support Vision 2030 projects, reduce pressure on domestic resources, and attract strong international investor interest.

The issuance strengthens Saudi Arabia’s ability to meet financial needs, expand its investor base, and establish a global financing network, he said, noting that it also facilitates entry into new markets, enabling the Kingdom to accelerate infrastructure projects and capital expenditures.

Dr. Ihsan Buhulaiga, founder of Joatha Business Development Consultants, described the 2025 budget as expansionary, aimed at meeting the financing needs of economic diversification programs. He stressed that the budget deficit is an “optional” one, reflecting a deliberate choice to prioritize Vision 2030 initiatives over immediate fiscal balance.

Buhulaiga explained that the Kingdom’s approach balances two options: limiting spending to available revenues, which would avoid deficits but delay Vision 2030 initiatives, or borrowing strategically to fund Vision 2030 goals. He said that the annual budget is just a component of the larger vision, which requires sustained funding until 2030.

He continued that Saudi Arabia’s fiscal space and creditworthiness allow it to borrow internationally at competitive rates, explaining that this flexibility ensures financial sustainability without compromising stability, even during challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saudi Arabia’s debt portfolio remains balanced, with two-thirds of its debt domestic and one-third external. As of Q3 2024, public debt stood at approximately SAR 1.2 trillion, below the 30% GDP ceiling. According to the Ministry of Finance, the budget deficit is expected to persist through 2027 but remain below 3% of GDP.

Buhulaiga highlighted the importance of capital expenditure, which reached SAR 186 billion in 2023 and is projected to rise to SAR 198 billion in 2024, a 6.5% increase.

He emphasized the government’s pivotal role in economic diversification, supported by investments from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the National Development Fund, and its subsidiaries, including the Infrastructure Fund.

The PIF recently announced a $7 billion Murabaha credit facility, facilitated by Citigroup, Goldman Sachs International, and JPMorgan. Meanwhile, the NDMC arranged a $2.5 billion revolving credit facility earlier in January, compliant with Islamic principles, to address budgetary needs.

In November, Moody’s upgraded Saudi Arabia’s credit rating to Aa3, aligning with Fitch’s A+ rating, both with a stable outlook. S&P Global assigns the Kingdom an AA-1 rating with a positive outlook, reflecting a high ability to meet financial obligations with low credit risk.

The IMF estimates Saudi Arabia’s public debt-to-GDP ratio at 26.2% in 2024, describing it as low and sustainable. This is projected to rise to 35% by 2029 as foreign borrowing continues to play a key role in financing deficits.