RIYADH: US electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Group and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology have inked a pact to boost EV technology development within the Kingdom. As part of the deal, the California-based firm, in which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund holds a significant stake, will collaborate with KACST on joint research, utilizing the institute’s services, facilities, and products for dedicated research into advanced battery technologies and materials. Additionally, they will conduct studies in aerodynamics, autonomous driving, and artificial intelligence technologies, according to a press release. Faisal Sultan, vice president and managing director of Middle East, Lucid Group said: “Lucid’s goal is to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating advanced technologies. This Memorandum of Understanding marks a key step towards achieving this vision, acting as a catalyst to advance and elevate the entire EV industry and inspire the adoption of sustainable transportation in support of the Kingdom’s vision for a more sustainable and diversified economy.” The partnership between Lucid and KACST will also include research on electric vehicles, assessing their performance to ensure they are suitable for the climatic conditions in the Kingdom, the release added. The joint research and development headquarters will be established at the national laboratories in KACST and are scheduled to launch during the third quarter of 2024. “Using our state-of-the-art facilities, the research conducted under this project will advance electric vehicle systems and aid the development of technologies to support autonomous driving, in line with national aspirations for research, development and innovation in the energy and industry sector,” said Talal bin Ahmed Al-Sudairi, senior vice president of KACST for research and development sector. The deal will see Lucid Group and KACST collaborating to leverage their expertise in scientific and technical research. Their joint efforts will focus on developing research programs geared toward creating technical solutions for the transportation and energy sectors, thereby bolstering the national economy. In September 2023, Lucid opened its first plant outside the US in Saudi Arabia with an initial capacity to produce 5,000 EVs a year. This came as the Kingdom’s government pledged to buy up to 100,000 vehicles from the company over 10 years.