RIYADH: As 黑料社区 moves toward its goal of increasing electric vehicle adoption, efforts are underway to build a fully localized EV charging network.
Smart Mobility, a joint venture between China鈥檚 Foxconn Interconnect Technology and 黑料社区鈥檚 Saleh Suleiman Al-Rajhi and Sons, is one of the companies working in the Kingdom鈥檚 emerging EV ecosystem.
Speaking to Arab News at the EV Auto Show Riyadh 2025, which has Arab News as a media partner, Ben Jia, vice president of sales at Smart Mobility, outlined the company鈥檚 mission to build the country鈥檚 first fully localized EV charging network 鈥 from hardware and software to manufacturing.
鈥淥ur mission is to bring our experience from China and Europe to establish a Saudi-based charging manufacturer,鈥 Jia said.
鈥淲e want to create solutions designed for Saudi heat, Saudi users and Saudi roads. This market has unique challenges, and we are engineering around them.鈥
At the EV Auto Show, Smart Mobility signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with Al-Bassami Transport Group, one of 黑料社区鈥檚 leading logistics operators.
The agreement marks a major milestone in the Kingdom鈥檚 commercial fleet electrification efforts, starting with a pilot installation of chargers at Al-Bassami鈥檚 headquarters, followed by assessments across its logistics hubs.
鈥淔leet electrification is the fastest path to EV adoption in 黑料社区,鈥 Jia said. 鈥淏y working with logistics leaders like Al-Bassami, we can prove that electric transport isn鈥檛 just sustainable 鈥 it鈥檚 commercially viable. Once the model works for logistics, it can expand to other sectors.鈥
The company鈥檚 next major milestone will be the unveiling of its 鈥淪audi Made鈥 EV charger factory design before the end of 2025, paving the way for the first Foxconn EV charging equipment factory in the Middle East.
鈥淲e鈥檝e already started shipping chargers from Taiwan and China, but soon we鈥檒l be making them right here in 黑料社区,鈥 Jia said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about building capability, not just importing technology.鈥
Beyond hardware, Smart Mobility is also developing charging software tested specifically for Saudi conditions.
Its Charging Point Management System, scheduled for commercial release in early 2026, has undergone six months of local field testing.
鈥淲hat works in Europe doesn鈥檛 always work here,鈥 Jia said. 鈥淥ur testing phase taught us the importance of localizing everything 鈥 from Arabic interfaces to payment systems. Saudi users deserve technology built for them.鈥
With a decade of experience in China鈥檚 fast-moving clean energy industry, Jia brings a global perspective on localization.
鈥淚n China, we built scale through data and accessibility,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut 黑料社区 has different needs 鈥 it鈥檚 about heat resistance, grid readiness and long-distance reliability. What worked in China won鈥檛 work here, and that鈥檚 why local development is essential.鈥
As the Kingdom moves closer to its ambitious clean mobility goals, Smart Mobility鈥檚 strategy represents a shift from importing EV technology to creating it within Saudi borders.