NIO Heads Into Middle East & North Africa – CleanTechnica

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The Chinese electric car market is on fire. However, Chinese automakers know their sales in China can only reach a certain level, and there’s a lot more potential out beyond China’s borders if they can move quickly. There’s very little EV supply in many markets still — or even none. So, Chinese EV leaders like BYD, NIO, and Xpeng are spreading their wings and entering new markets at a rapid pace.

The latest news in that regard is NIO launching a whole new arm of the company in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region — NIO MENA.

NIO partnered with CYVN Holdings, based in Abu Dhabi (UAE), to launch NIO MENA. The company says that it “aims to introduce cutting-edge electric vehicle solutions to more users, contributing to the region’s sustainable development goals.” In other words, they’re looking for more buyers in a new region and various players will highlight their green/climate progress from buying or selling NIO’s EVs there. Win-win.

“The UAE has been chosen as the initial market for NIO MENA, positioning the region as a key player in deploying advanced autonomous driving systems and battery-swapping technologies,” NIO adds. “In addition to market entry, NIO and CYVN Holdings plan to establish a state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) centre in Abu Dhabi. This facility will focus on autonomous driving and artificial intelligence advancements, reinforcing NIO’s global R&D capabilities and fostering technological innovation in the MENA region.” The UAE was one of the first markets outside of the US and Europe that Tesla entered. I’ve gone there several times for cleantech events, and I can say they are obsessed with getting and leading on the most current or futuristic tech in the UAE. So, it is no surprise they took an opportunity to lead NIO into the region, and also that they are highlighting autonomous and AI matters in the announcement.

“As part of their broader regional vision, NIO and CYVN Holdings also plan to collaborate on a new electric vehicle project, involving research, manufacturing, and future product launches. This initiative will see NIO MENA working with local partners in Egypt, further advancing Egypt’s role in the electric vehicle manufacturing landscape.” I’m not sure if I fully understand this, but it sounds like they want to have NIO set up an advanced vehicle manufacturing plant in Egypt that will also be an R&D center for the company and will get the privilege of launching some of NIO’s new models.

We’ll see what happens. These markets are not huge, but there are many very wealthy buyers in MENA who love to gobble up the latest new tech and the most luxurious cars. Perhaps it will quickly become an important regional market for NIO.

“Our collaboration with CYVN Holdings is a cornerstone in our strategy to enhance global accessibility to smart electric vehicles and to push the boundaries of technological innovation,” William Li, the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of NIO, said. “With CYVN’s support, NIO is poised to accelerate its international business scope and bring innovative EV technologies to users in the MENA region.”