The Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) have announced the signing of a joint venture agreement to establish a highly automated vehicle manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi’s PIF will hold a 70% stake in the new joint venture with Hyundai holding the remaining 30%. Hyundai will also act as a strategic technology partner to support the development of the new manufacturing plant, by providing technical and commercial assistance. The total investment for the project is estimated to exceed $500 million.
The joint venture announced at the Saudi-Korean Business Forum, aims to manufacture 50,000 vehicles per year, including both internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles (EV). The plant groundbreaking is planned for 2024, and production is expected to begin in 2026.
The new manufacturing plant will create thousands of jobs and allow for knowledge and expertise transfer. The localization of Hyundai’s vehicles will accelerate the development of Saudi Arabia’s automotive and mobility ecosystem and attract further investments to the sector and the wider economy.
As the third largest automaker worldwide in terms of sales volume, Hyundai Motor Group brings invaluable technical capabilities and expertise to design, develop, and operate the vehicle manufacturing plant.