So here comes (maybe) another global luxury electric car company based in Silicon Valley. Nice website, glowing promises and worse than ailing Tesla, no production.
Lucid Motors says it has executed a more than $1b investment agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (“PIF”), through a special-purpose vehicle wholly owned by Saudi Arabia. Under the terms of the agreement, the parties agree to carry out the transaction subject to the usual regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. No financial information was disclosed.
The deal claims to represent a major milestone for Lucid. It will provide it with the necessary funding to commercially launch its first electric vehicle, the Lucid Air in 2020.
Lucid plans to use the funding to complete engineering development and testing of the Lucid Air, construct its factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, begin the global rollout of its retail strategy starting in North America, and enter production for the Lucid Air.
Lucid’s mission is “to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating the most captivating luxury electric vehicles, centered around the human experience. The convergence of new technologies is reshaping the automobile, but the benefits have yet to be truly realized. This is inhibiting the pace at which sustainable mobility and energy are adopted.” (sounds like a struggling Tesla which still can’t make promised volumes.
“At Lucid, we will demonstrate the full potential of the electric connected vehicle in order to push the industry forward,” claimed Peter Rawlinson, Chief Technology Officer of Lucid.
So here comes (maybe) another global luxury electric car company based in Silicon Valley. “Lucid will work closely with PIF to ensure a strategic focus on quickly bringing its products to market at a time of rapid change in the automotive industry.”
APIF spokesperson said: “PIF’s international investment strategy aims to strengthen PIF’s performance as an active contributor in the international economy, an investor in the industries of the future and the partner of choice for international investment opportunities. Our investment in Lucid is a strong example of these objectives.”
Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF)
PIF seeks to become one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, enabling the creation of new sectors and opportunities that will shape the future global economy, while driving the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia.
To achieve this, PIF is building a world-class, diversified portfolio through investments in attractive, long-term opportunities across sectors and asset classes at both the domestic and international level. Working alongside global strategic partners and renowned investment managers, PIF acts as the Kingdom’s main investment arm to deliver a strategy focused on achieving attractive financial returns and long-term value for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in line with Vision 2030.
In October 2017 at the Future Investment Initiative (www.futureinvestmentinitiative.com), the Public Investment Fund Program (2018-2020) was launched as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Vision Realization Programs (“VRP”). The PIF Program is one of twelve VRPs and acts as a roadmap for the next three years to strengthen PIF’s position as the engine behind economic diversification in the Kingdom and role in transforming Saudi Arabia into a global investor.
The program will see PIF’s Assets Under Management increase to over $400 billion by 2020 and outlines how PIF aims to complement private sector development in the Kingdom through its new domestic investment, split between PIF’s Saudi Holdings, Saudi Sector Development, Saudi Real Estate & Infrastructure Development, and Saudi Giga-Projects.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Saudi’s to Finance Lucid EV
So here comes (maybe) another global luxury electric car company based in Silicon Valley. Nice website, glowing promises and worse than ailing Tesla, no production.
Lucid Motors says it has executed a more than $1b investment agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (“PIF”), through a special-purpose vehicle wholly owned by Saudi Arabia. Under the terms of the agreement, the parties agree to carry out the transaction subject to the usual regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. No financial information was disclosed.
The deal claims to represent a major milestone for Lucid. It will provide it with the necessary funding to commercially launch its first electric vehicle, the Lucid Air in 2020.
Lucid plans to use the funding to complete engineering development and testing of the Lucid Air, construct its factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, begin the global rollout of its retail strategy starting in North America, and enter production for the Lucid Air.
Lucid’s mission is “to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating the most captivating luxury electric vehicles, centered around the human experience. The convergence of new technologies is reshaping the automobile, but the benefits have yet to be truly realized. This is inhibiting the pace at which sustainable mobility and energy are adopted.” (sounds like a struggling Tesla which still can’t make promised volumes.
“At Lucid, we will demonstrate the full potential of the electric connected vehicle in order to push the industry forward,” claimed Peter Rawlinson, Chief Technology Officer of Lucid.
So here comes (maybe) another global luxury electric car company based in Silicon Valley. “Lucid will work closely with PIF to ensure a strategic focus on quickly bringing its products to market at a time of rapid change in the automotive industry.”
APIF spokesperson said: “PIF’s international investment strategy aims to strengthen PIF’s performance as an active contributor in the international economy, an investor in the industries of the future and the partner of choice for international investment opportunities. Our investment in Lucid is a strong example of these objectives.”
Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF)
PIF seeks to become one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, enabling the creation of new sectors and opportunities that will shape the future global economy, while driving the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia.
To achieve this, PIF is building a world-class, diversified portfolio through investments in attractive, long-term opportunities across sectors and asset classes at both the domestic and international level. Working alongside global strategic partners and renowned investment managers, PIF acts as the Kingdom’s main investment arm to deliver a strategy focused on achieving attractive financial returns and long-term value for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in line with Vision 2030.
In October 2017 at the Future Investment Initiative (www.futureinvestmentinitiative.com), the Public Investment Fund Program (2018-2020) was launched as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Vision Realization Programs (“VRP”). The PIF Program is one of twelve VRPs and acts as a roadmap for the next three years to strengthen PIF’s position as the engine behind economic diversification in the Kingdom and role in transforming Saudi Arabia into a global investor.
The program will see PIF’s Assets Under Management increase to over $400 billion by 2020 and outlines how PIF aims to complement private sector development in the Kingdom through its new domestic investment, split between PIF’s Saudi Holdings, Saudi Sector Development, Saudi Real Estate & Infrastructure Development, and Saudi Giga-Projects.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.