Jubail Aims to Build 1st Saudi-Made Car by 2022

The Royal Commission in Jubail started developing the infrastructure required for attracting three global automakers, Mohammad Al-Zahrani, Director of Industrial Investment Development Department told Al-Arabiya TV, expecting the first Saudi-made car in 2022. The move comes in coordination with South Korea’s SsangYong Motor Co. through setting up a car assembly center. Engineering designs are in advanced stages, Al-Zahrani said.

The study conducted by the Royal Commission eyes to attract almost SR40 billion (US$10.67 billion) direct investments to the automotive industry by 2040, Al-Zahrani added, noting that this sector will contribute SR80 billion (US$21.34 billion) to the Saudi Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provide 27,000 direct jobs. The Kingdom’s auto complex is part of the strategic industrial plan, as Jubail Industrial City and Ras Al-Khair Industrial City provide no less than 90% of the raw materials used in direct automobile manufacturing, he concluded.