Ceer: Saudi Arabia launches EV firm with wild SUV and coupe

The SUV will be designed with considerable off-road ability for use in deserts, with DeLuca adding: “We really wanted a utility vehicle that would inspire the people of not only Saudi Arabia but the broader Gulf region.”

DeLuca said that test and prototype work for the Exobots had largely been completed, with the firm now in the final product validation stage. Series production is set to start in January 2027 and deliveries to customers that March.

DeLuca spent much of his career in engineering roles at General Motors but was previously the head of troubled Vietnamese start-up Vinfast.

He said he was committed to not doing anything “until the product is absolutely ready".

"We’ve got a team of experts from 45 countries around the world and a very defined vehicle development process," he added. "We’re not just a start-up shooting from the hip.”

Key partnerships to accelerate technology

Ceer vehicles will sit on a platform and electrical architecture developed by joint venture partner Foxconn, the Taiwanese industrial giant that manufactures Apple iPhones and has expanded into EVs in recent years.

Ceer also has an agreement with BMW on technology, and DeLuca said it would “draw on their 100-and-some years of experience from both a product engineering and manufacturing perspective”.

Croatian EV firm Rimac will provide the rear motor for the powertrain, while Hyundai Transys will supply the front motors.

DeLuca said that top-spec Exobot models will offer more than 1100bhp, be capable of 0-62mph in 2.1sec and have both launch control and a drift mode.

Ceer is aiming to gradually increase local content in its cars as it helps to build up an automotive supply industry in Saudi Arabia.

DeLuca noted that 46% of the firm’s 2300 current staff are locals, while the firm is aiming for 45% local content in its cars by 2034.

Broader line-up with global potential

The first two Ceer models have been homologated for the Gulf region and will be offered purely as EVs.

Given the small size of the Saudi EV market (around 3% of a market that totalled just over 800,000 cars last year), they will serve as flagships designed to help grow interest in the technology.

Beyond that, Ceer has bold plans to rapidly rollout five more models. It plans to launch a D-segment saloon, SUV and coupé-SUV next year, with more compact models following in 2028.

Those models will have the capability of being homologated for global markets, but DeLuca said: “Right now our business plan goes through 2040 and is focused just on Saudi Arabia and the surrounding countries in the Gulf, and we have a positive business plan just focusing on that market.

“Having said that, never say never. We've made sure the next five models give us the ability [for global sales]. But what I don't want to do is expand too fast. I'd rather be that corner Italian restaurant that gets everything right and then expands slowly. That’s our methodology is right now.”

Notably, while Ceer will launch with pure EVs, DeLuca said the firm will be “flexible and resilient, and we’re going to be one of those companies that produces what the market wants”.

He added that that Ceer's platform is capable of accepting multiple powertrains, hinting that plug-in hybrid or range-extender technology could be offered in markets with “minimal design changes” to the vehicles.

No concerns over PIF commitment

The Saudi government and the PIF have invested heavily in the Vision 2030 programme, but in recent years it has cut back spending and investment in some high-profile areas.

The planned Neom megacity in the north-west of the country has been scaled back, while the PIF pulled its funding from the upstart LIV Golf tour.

DeLuca insisted the PIF is committed to Ceer, saying: “I can speak with confidence that we have the full support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we've got a fully funded business plan that goes through 2040.

“We’re close to showing those products to the world and revealing our manufacturing complex in King Abdullah Economic City, a fully integrated assembly plant that is state of the art across the board.

"We're about to be the most visible manifestation of Vision 2030, and the Kingdom is looking forward to that story.”

The Saudi government has also received widespread criticism for its restrictions on free speech, its lack of women’s rights and human rights abuses, leading to many of the Vision 2030 investments in hosting sporting events being described as ‘sportswashing’.

Asked if he had any concerns about that, DeLuca responded: “We feel confident that when we tell our story we will show the progress that's being made. At Ceer, we say we're not just starting a car company, we're igniting an industry.

“In addition to our plant, we've got Lucid on one side, Hyundai on the other side. We worked really hard to build a supplier park, because you can't ignite an industry without a localised supply base. We’ve attracted five global tier-one suppliers. So when we talk about igniting an industry, this is real. We are calculating creating 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.