Tesla launches sales in Saudi Arabia amid Chinese competitions

Tesla, Inc. Debut on sales in Saudi Arabia, a rich oil kingdom, whose long desert highs reside for gas SUVs-and where there are no chargers that can be found for hundreds of miles.

The American electric car manufacturer hopes that success in neighboring countries such as the United Arab Emirates, and a small but growing pool of electric vehicles (EV) in the region are positive signs of future demand.

The terms are also noticeable on April 10, Tesla will hold its starting event in Riyadh, then open pop-up shops in Riyadh, Jed and Domama on April 11. This is ahead of the widely expected visit of US President Donald Trump to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, which is expected in April, although it has not yet been confirmed.

It also comes when running a car By reducing the saleEspecially in Europe, against the background of the reaction against Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk, a controversial role in the Trump administration.

“Explore our global bestseller ruler and go to the world power of Solar Energy, supported by batteries and driven by electric vehicles,” the statement announced by the launch on Tesla. “Try the future autonomous car driving with Cybercab and meet Optimus, our humanoid robot when we demonstrate what’s next in AI and robotics.”

Despite its reputation as a bastion of oil wealth, Saudi Arabia is no stranger to EVS – its sovereign wealth fund, the public investment fund, was Most interested parties in luxury company EV Company Lucid Motors Since 2019. In 2023, Lucid opened its first production car in Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom also develops its own brand EV Saudi, Ceer Motors, through a joint venture between PIF and Foxconn Taiwanese. CEER plans to distribute in the Middle East markets in 2025.

Pressing the EV production space is part of the Vision 2030, a wide company of Saudi Arabia to diversify its economy from oil addiction.

The kingdom is most likely to see the entrance of Tesla to the market, which promotes the stated goal – to move 30% of all cars in the Riyadh capital until 2030 as part of a broader strategy by halving the city’s emissions.

Chinese manufacturer EV Byd is also already in the Saudi Arabia market, that is, Tesla faces Just 1% of all car sales In the kingdom in 2024, the PWC consulting firm said.

“Tesla will not be a pioneer in the market. In other countries, it was very often the first – in Saudi Arabia, not more,” said Tatiana Christ, CEE sales director on S&P Global Mobility, reported access to the Middle East on Wednesday.

“BYD vehicles are known on the market, even if they are not the only EVS on the market … so it will be difficult,” she said. S&P expects 10,000 to 15,000 Tesla units to be sold in the country in the first two years after the Saudi -Arabian debut, including this year.

“After that, he will certainly face a very strong competition from local competitors as well as Chinese vehicles,” Christ added.

Extension to Saudi Arabia also involves recovery Previously a rich connection between Musk and KingdomWhich has led to the fact that Tesla is expanding to almost every Persian Gulf, except for the Saudi Kingdom.

According to consumer examination in the Middle East since last year, “more than 40% of KSA consumers are considering acquiring EV in the next three years.”

Charging glasses are small and far between the kingdom, but its recently launched infrastructure electric vehicles plans to build 5,000 fast chargers across the country by 2030, the report said.

Hrystau pointed to the “accumulated pool of customers who awaited Tesla” in the kingdom as another positive sign for the debut of the automaker locally.

“We believe that there will be a good demand for Tesla vehicles in the coming years,” she said. “I always say,” Inaccessible makes it desirable. “