Riyadh’s Electric Vehicle Revolution: Meet Hamed Al-Rafidain
Hamed Al-Rafidain, a 39-year-old HR professional in Riyadh, is not your average car enthusiast. While many in Saudi Arabia stick to fuel-guzzling 4 X 4 vehicles, Al-Rafidain has made the switch to electric.
Part of a small but growing electric vehicle consumer base in the Kingdom, Al-Rafidain is leading the charge towards a more sustainable future. “What drove me to buy electric was financial considerations,” he explains, noting that he spends a hefty sum of up to SR2,000 ($530) a month on fuel for his off-road vehicle. “Maintenance costs are also lower compared to a conventional vehicle, with no oil changes.”
For a little over $53,300, Al-Rafidain invested in a BYD electric car, primarily using it for short trips within the capital. However, driving outside Riyadh can still be a challenge, as the infrastructure for electric vehicles is still underdeveloped in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia’s Electric Vehicle Ambitions
Saudi Arabia is positioning itself to become a hub for electric vehicle technology, with the country’s sovereign wealth fund, the PIF, owning a majority stake in electric car maker Lucid. Additionally, South Korea’s Hyundai is set to establish a factory in the Kingdom, while the Saudi brand CEER is gearing up for production in 2025, aiming to manufacture 300,000 electric cars annually.
Chinese giant BYD is expected to dominate the Saudi market, as Tesla, its global rival, has yet to establish dealerships in the Kingdom. Electric car sales in Saudi Arabia tripled last year to nearly 800, with salesmen like Hassan Mohammed anticipating even more growth in the coming years. “More than one car brand has opened its doors in the Kingdom and now offers after-sales service, which has encouraged consumers,” Mohammed explains.