Lucid Motors Saudi Arabia Plant: The Bold, Desert-built EV Bet Reaching Global Roads

Lucid’s AMP-2 facility is changing what “Made in Saudi Arabia” can mean for electric vehicles. The site is in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) near Jeddah, and Lucid says it is its first factory outside the United States. The plant officially opened in September 2023, and it began by assembling Lucid Air vehicles from semi-knocked-down (SKD) kits shipped from Lucid’s US factory. This was also described as the first automotive production facility in Saudi Arabia. Now, the same site is being positioned to serve both local buyers and customers far beyond the Middle East.

The plan is to scale. In its first phase, AMP-2 had an initial capacity of about 5,000 vehicles per year. Another report describes the first-phase capacity as 5,000 Lucid Air sedans and Gravity SUVs annually. By May 2025, Lucid said the upgraded AMP-2 facility spans about 1.3 million square meters and is expected to reach an annual production capacity of up to 155,000 vehicles. Lucid’s CFO, Taoufiq Boussaid, said the facility will reach its full 155,000-unit annual capacity in 2029 after a gradual ramp-up in 2026, 2027, and 2028.

Even before full-scale production, the plant has been building momentum. By December 2025, Lucid had reached 1,000 vehicles assembled at the Saudi facility since the September 2023 start. In May 2025, Lucid also said it had achieved over 4 million safe working hours at the site. Around the same period, Lucid announced it had been recognized as a “Saudi Made” company under the kingdom’s industrial program. These signals matter because the company is using AMP-2 as a long-term manufacturing hub, not only a symbolic footprint.

From SKD Assembly to Full Production and Exports

Lucid has been clear that SKD is only the first step. CleanTechnica reported that, as of early November 2025, the facility was being “gutted and rebuilt” to become a “Complete Build Unit” (CBU) site. Another update says the company started in January 2024 to transform the plant into a CBU facility. Lucid has also pointed to advanced operations that are normally linked with CBU manufacturing, suggesting a faster move into the second phase of the buildout. CleanTechnica added that partnerships, including one with Rockwell Automation, have integrated “digital twin” technology and manufacturing software to support a factory that can handle every stage of production.

Export plans are tied to this upgrade. InsideEVs reported that Lucid will deliver Saudi-made EVs to Europe starting in 2027. The same report said the expanded plant will supply Lucid vehicles for markets outside North America, including Europe and some Asian markets, but not China. Electrek also reported that Lucid expects to export to Europe and parts of Asia, outside of China. This is where the Lucid Motors Saudi Arabia plant becomes a bridge: it is designed to support buyers in Saudi Arabia while also feeding new global lanes.

Finance and policy are part of the story. One report said the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has invested approximately $8 billion in Lucid and holds majority ownership, and another said PIF holds a stake of more than 60% in Lucid Motors. CleanTechnica also noted that the Saudi government previously committed to purchasing tens of thousands of Lucid vehicles over a ten-year period for official fleets. Lucid’s CFO said manufacturing in Saudi Arabia can allow sourcing components from China without incurring US tariffs on Chinese auto parts. Together, these points show why AMP-2 is not only a factory, but also a global-market strategy built around location.