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Lucid to Produce 150,000 EVs Per Year in Saudi Arabia

An electric vehicle on charger (Getty Images)
An electric vehicle on charger (Getty Images)
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Lucid to Produce 150,000 EVs Per Year in Saudi Arabia

An electric vehicle on charger (Getty Images)
An electric vehicle on charger (Getty Images)

Lucid Group signed an agreement with the Saudi Ministry of Investment, the Industrial Development Fund, and the Economic City at King Abdullah Economic City to construct a plant in the Kingdom that will produce 150,000 electric vehicles (EVs) per year.

The Public Investment Fund holds a significant stake of 62 percent of Lucid, in a step that reflects a strategy to select future investment opportunities that provide growth in returns.

The agreement lays the groundwork for a complete production factory in Saudi Arabia and is expected to accelerate the Kingdom's strategic goal to transform and diversify its economy through sustainable energy and transportation.

Lucid estimates that the location of its first international manufacturing plant in the Kingdom may result in up to $3.4 billion of value to Lucid over 15 years.

The 25-year-contract will enable Lucid to address the growing demand for its products.

CEO Peter Rawlinson announced that Lucid aspires to be a catalyst for change, so it makes perfect sense to bring 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," he said.

Rawlinson noted that Lucid's strong relationships with PIF and its 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 also expects to benefit from the availability of competitively-priced commodities and energy and a newly emerging domestic supply chain, and a factory location that facilitates global logistics.

Lucid reviewed multiple opportunities before selecting KAEC in Saudi Arabia as the optimal location and option for its first international manufacturing facility.

The new manufacturing hub will be wholly owned by Lucid and enable the company to meet the growing international demand for luxury electric vehicles.

Lucid signed a contract with Emaar Economic City to rent land for its first facility to produce electric vehicles in the Kingdom.

The company sealed a $30 million deal to lease an industrial plot in King Abdullah Economic City Industrial Valley.

The financial impact from the project will roll out on the company's financial statements during the contract duration that will run from 2022 until 2047.

The step comes as Lucid aims "to construct and operate automotive manufacturing and assembly facility together with all ancillary services," Emaar Economic City said in a statement to the Saudi bourse.

Saudi Arabia wants to attract significant foreign factories and companies due to the local market's size, positively reflecting on the national economy.

The Kingdom provided all facilities for foreign investments by amending legislation and regulations, which will attract international companies and factories to the national market.

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Euro Falls as Markets Brace for French Post-election Gridlock

A participant holds a French flag during an election night rally following the first results of the second round of France's legislative election at Place de la Republique in Paris on July 7, 2024. (AFP)
A participant holds a French flag during an election night rally following the first results of the second round of France's legislative election at Place de la Republique in Paris on July 7, 2024. (AFP)
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Euro Falls as Markets Brace for French Post-election Gridlock

A participant holds a French flag during an election night rally following the first results of the second round of France's legislative election at Place de la Republique in Paris on July 7, 2024. (AFP)
A participant holds a French flag during an election night rally following the first results of the second round of France's legislative election at Place de la Republique in Paris on July 7, 2024. (AFP)

The euro slipped on Sunday after projections from France's election pointed to a hung parliament and an unexpectedly strong showing for the left-wing New Popular Front, casting fresh uncertainty over markets and setting the stage for further volatility ahead.

Analysts said markets would likely be relieved that Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) was forecast to come third after last week's first-round victory.

Yet investors also have concerns that the French left’s plans could unwind many of President Emmanuel Macron’s pro-market reforms. And they believe political gridlock could end attempts to rein in France's debt, which stood at 110.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023.

The euro fell 0.2% to $1.081 as the week’s trading got underway. It had climbed last week as opinion polls suggested a hung parliament was likely, assuaging fears of a far-right victory, after dropping sharply - along with stocks and bonds - when Macron called the elections in early June.

"It looks like the anti-far right parties really got a lot of support," said Simon Harvey, head of FX analysis at Monex Europe.

"But fundamentally from a market perspective, there’s no difference in terms of the outcome. There’s really going to be a vacuum when it comes to France’s legislative ability."

Harvey added: "The bond market is going to be the real place to look at. There might be a bit of a gap lower in French bonds (prices)."

Trading in French bonds and stocks will begin on Monday morning in Europe.

The leftist alliance, which gathers the hard left, the Socialists and Greens, was forecast to win between 172 and 215 seats out of 577, according to pollsters' projections based on early results from a sample of polling stations.

Macron’s centrist alliance was projected to win 150-180 seats, with the RN seen getting 115 to 155 seats.

Analysts said a period of volatility and uncertainty was expected to continue as investors now assess what form the parliament will take, and how many, if any, of its policies the leftist alliance will be able to implement.

The New Popular Front alliance says its first moves would include a 10% civil servant pay hike, providing free school lunches, supplies and transport while raising housing subsidies by 10%.

"The economic program of the left is in many ways much more problematic than that of the right, and while the left will not be able to govern on their own, the outlook for French public finances deteriorates further with these results," said Nordea chief market analyst Jan von Gerich.

JITTERY MARKETS

Markets tumbled after Macron gambled in June by calling a parliamentary election following a trouncing at the hands of the RN in European Parliament elections - as investors worried an RN victory could install a prime minister intent on a high-spending, France-first agenda that would exacerbate a large debt pile and shake relations with Europe.

The risk premium investors demand to hold the country's debt soared to its highest level since the euro zone crisis in 2012. French stocks, led by banks, dropped as investors worried about their holdings of government debt, new regulation and economic uncertainty in the euro area's second biggest economy.

Yet equities, bonds and the euro all recovered somewhat last week as polls showed a hung parliament was the most likely outcome as the left wing and centrist parties struck deals to give anti-RN candidates a better chance.

The exact make-up of the next parliament remains uncertain, as does the next prime minister. Gabriel Attal said he would hand his resignation to Macron on Monday.

"It’s going to be very hard to actually go ahead and pass any policy and bring about any progressive reforms because each party’s vote is split and no one has an absolute majority," said Aneeka Gupta, director of macroeconomic research at WisdomTree.

Yet she added: "I think the markets will be happy we’re avoiding this extreme situation with the far right."