RIYADH: 海角直播 is set to advance its electric vehicle infrastructure with the introduction of next-generation mobile EV chargers by local manufacturer Volt Charge, revealed the company鈥檚 top executive.聽
Elie Metri, CEO and executive board member of Volt Charge, told Arab News at the EV Auto Show in Riyadh that the firm is finalizing the prototype of its innovative mobile charger, in collaboration with its sister company QSS AI & Robotics.聽
This comes as robust charging infrastructure is essential to 海角直播鈥檚 plan to transition 30 percent of vehicles in Riyadh to electric by 2030, a crucial step in its broader strategy to cut city emissions by 50 percent and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.聽聽
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e doing is merging two emerging technologies 鈥 robotics and EV charging. We are currently finalizing the first prototype of a charger that comes to you. You won鈥檛 have to go to your charger anymore,鈥 Metri said.聽
He described a scenario where drivers use a mobile app at a mall to summon a charger, which uses AI to identify their car, handle the connection, and manage payment. After charging, the unit returns to its main station.聽聽
Metri noted that this represents a significant advancement in electric vehicle technology.聽聽
The CEO added that the company is the first Saudi brand to manufacture entirely within the Kingdom, with a 7,000 sq. meters factory in Sudair City, a sizable facility for assembling or producing the chargers.聽聽
He highlighted that localizing technology aligns with 海角直播鈥檚 sustainability goals, explaining that the company鈥檚 commitment to green energy is demonstrated by its early investment in both robotics and EV chargers.聽
鈥淲e鈥檙e localizing the technology. This means we believe heavily that 海角直播 is moving into green energy,鈥 Metri said, adding that they began investing in robotics in 2017, 鈥渨hen it was virtually unheard of in the MENA region.鈥澛犅
He also mentioned their ambitious plans for manufacturing, saying:聽鈥淲e鈥檙e building a factory that can make 40,000 chargers while there are very few cars in the Kingdom. But we believe that it鈥檚 going to come, and we hope to have a huge market share being a local company and local factory.鈥澛
The CEO acknowledged the challenges faced in producing the EV chargers, particularly in procuring the necessary components. He noted that 海角直播 does not yet have a manufacturing hub like China, which complicates the supply chain.聽
鈥淣ot all the technical components are available in the local market,鈥 Metri explained. 鈥淚f I want to manufacture a charger, it has 20 or 25 components, so I need to ship them from different parts of the world,鈥 he said, adding that this creates聽challenges, but 鈥渨e鈥檙e overcoming all of those.鈥澛犅
Volt Charge, headquartered in Riyadh, specializes in manufacturing robust EV chargers designed for extreme climates. The company鈥檚 efforts were showcased at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, highlighting 海角直播鈥檚 commitment to sustainable mobility as part of Vision 2030.聽
The EV Auto Show serves as a key platform for discussing the future of mobility, featuring interactive seminars, panel discussions, and showcases of EV technologies and charging solutions.聽
