Lucid Is Finishing A Greenfield EV Plant For The Next Phase Of Global Manufacturing

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When Lucid Motors announced plans to build its first manufacturing facility outside the United States in 2022, the move was framed as both symbolic and strategic.

The plant in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) would not only become Saudi Arabia’s first car factory, but also a cornerstone of the kingdom’s push to diversify its economy beyond oil. Less discussed at the time, but increasingly central to Lucid’s long-term ambitions, is how the facility is being used as a greenfield test case for a new kind of digitally driven, human-centered manufacturing model.

Lucid’s Saudi facility officially opened in September 2023 in KAEC, near Jeddah, marking a historic moment for the country’s industrial sector. In its first phase, the plant began by assembling Lucid Air vehicles from semi-knocked-down (SKD) kits shipped from the company’s U.S. factory, with an initial capacity of about 5,000 vehicles per year.

While these early operations were focused on assembly rather than full production, the opening nonetheless represented a milestone: it was the first automotive production facility in Saudi Arabia and Lucid’s first international Advanced Manufacturing Plant (AMP-2).

What’s Happening Now

As of early November 2025, the narrative surrounding Lucid Motors has shifted from survival to a high-stakes industrial scale-up.

In a walk-along-the-hallway interview, Gaetano Cantalupo, Vice President of Manufacturing at Lucid Motors, told CleanTechnica that the most significant development going forward is the physical transformation of the AMP-2 facility in Saudi Arabia. While the plant has spent the last two years re-assembling vehicle kits in Semi-Knock Down (SKD) form, it is now being gutted and rebuilt as a “Complete Build Unit” (CBU) site.

Strategic partnerships with firms like Rockwell Automation have integrated advanced “digital twin” technology and manufacturing software, laying the groundwork for the factory to handle every stage of production — from raw stamping and body construction to powertrain assembly — by the end of this year.

The real centerpiece of this expansion, however, is the upcoming midsize platform, often referred to in enthusiast circles as the Lucid “Earth.” While the Gravity SUV is currently entering its peak production phase in Arizona, the Saudi factory is being groomed as the primary global hub for this more affordable crossover.

In late January this year, Lucid confirmed it had already built the first full prototypes of this vehicle. This $50,000 model is designed to go toe-to-toe with the Tesla Model Y and is expected to be the catalyst that finally unlocks the 50,000-vehicle order from the Saudi government.

Investor Day

Looking ahead, the next few months will be pivotal for the brand’s public image and financial roadmap. Lucid has officially scheduled an Investor Day for March 12, 2026, where leadership is expected to offer the first in-depth preview of the midsize platform’s design and technological specs. By bypassing U.S. import tariffs on certain components and leveraging the localized Saudi supply chain, Lucid is betting that this facility will not only serve the Middle East but also become a critical export base for Europe and Asia, aiming for a total capacity of 150,000 vehicles annually by 2029.

Unlike many legacy automotive plants that grow organically over decades, Lucid’s approach in Saudi Arabia is fundamentally a greenfield endeavor.

From raw land and undeveloped infrastructure, the company and its partners laid the groundwork for a clean-slate buildout that aligns with the company’s intention to embed advanced manufacturing execution systems early in the process to reduce the iterative friction that typically accompanies new plant startup.

The Saudi plant’s transition from partial assembly to full manufacturing is now underway. The company has publicly stated that it plans to begin full-scale vehicle production in Saudi Arabia in 2026. Interim leadership has confirmed that operations will launch later this year, with a gradual ramp through 2027 and 2028, and an eventual target of producing up to 150,000 vehicles per year by 2029.

This next phase of production extends beyond the company’s current luxury sedan lineup to include new models on Lucid’s expanding platform. Saudi production is expected to include the upcoming midsize electric vehicle platform, which is part of its broader strategy to diversify its offerings and target more mainstream segments. Reports suggest that the plant will assemble both luxury vehicles such as the Lucid Air and newer designs, including midsize SUVs and crossover models planned for global markets.

Strategic Shift

While Lucid’s first and flagship manufacturing location is its Advanced Manufacturing Plant 1 (AMP-1) in Casa Grande, Arizona — a greenfield facility built from scratch and completed in late 2020 — that U.S. plant has been central to Lucid’s ability to launch production of its models, including the Lucid Air luxury sedan and the Gravity SUV. AMP-1 was designed with scalability in mind, with plans to grow its capacity from tens of thousands of units per year toward a theoretical 400,000 vehicles annually as it and adjacent facilities expand.

Lucid’s U.S. footprint also reflects how the company intends to balance global demand, export requirements, and local market dynamics. Casa Grande serves as the cornerstone of Lucid’s design, engineering, and production expertise, and it remains the primary site for initial model launches and early volumes. The Gravity SUV, Lucid’s second production model and its first SUV, has been produced at AMP-1 for customers in the U.S. and other markets.

The Saudi plant’s design and ramp strategy are deeply informed by this U.S. manufacturing experience. By embedding manufacturing execution and control systems early — including advanced deployment of planning, scheduling, traceability, and automated data capture — Lucid aims to replicate the consistency of AMP-1 while tailoring the process to local workforce development and supply-chain conditions. This digital spine supports real-time visibility into production, quality checks, and standardized operations across shops, helping reduce lead time between assembly and full build occupancy.

Humans, Not Machines

Yet for all of the digital sophistication Lucid is bringing to Saudi Arabia, the company has been clear about the limits of automation without human engagement. Digital systems can formalize processes, but they cannot replace the intuition, problem-solving ability, and continuous improvement mindset that human teams bring to complex manufacturing environments. This philosophy has informed both the design of hands-on training initiatives in the kingdom and the broader narrative about how factories of the future must marry technology and talent.

Saudi Arabia’s plant also stands as a strategic export hub. By producing vehicles locally and under a national “Made in Saudi Arabia” program, Lucid not only supports Saudi industrial goals but also positions itself to serve regional markets in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. Export capability will be an important test of the plant’s operational maturity as production scales.

Production Scale

Talking about production scales, Lucid has sold over 30,000 units since it started operations. In 2024, it delivered about 10,241 vehicles, primarily the Lucid Air luxury sedan. Last year some 15,841 vehicles were sold and registered globally, including both the Air and increasing numbers of Gravity SUVs.

The long view envisioned by Lucid and its partners is ambitious: a fully operational EV factory operating at scale by the end of the decade, producing a wide range of vehicles from luxury sedans to more accessible midsize platforms, and offering ripple effects for local suppliers, talent development, and industrial diversification in Saudi Arabia. The company’s ability to deliver on this plan — while navigating global supply chain dynamics and evolving demand curves — will shape perceptions of whether greenfield EV manufacturing outside traditional automotive hubs can become a repeatable global model.