JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was a driving force behind the designs of the first two models of the Kingdom's electric vehicle brand Ceer, according to the company's CEO. Speaking at the unveiling of the vehicles at Ceer’s manufacturing facility in King Abdullah Economic City, James DeLuca revealed how the crown prince pushed the team during the design process. The Exobot vehicles, available in sedan and SUV models, are Ceer’s first products as part of a fleet comprising seven models that will be launched successively over the next five years. These will include medium-sized and compact models with various powertrain systems to meet the different needs of customers. DeLuca said that the directives of the crown prince focused from the outset on presenting distinct and innovative designs that set Saudi vehicles apart from products currently available in global markets, thereby reflecting the Kingdom’s identity and its ambitions within the industrial sector. “I know I drove you hard on design, but if these themes are the results of me driving you hard, it is all worth it,” the CEO quoted the Crown Prince as telling the Ceer team after seeing the designs. Made in Saudi Arabia Ceer is Saudi Arabia’s first homegrown electric vehicle brand, established by the Public Investment Fund in partnership with Foxconn. The company is developing vehicles designed for the Saudi and wider regional markets, with production based at its facility in King Abdullah Economic City. DeLuca confirmed that the vehicles bearing the "Made in Saudi Arabia" badge will soon reach customers everywhere. The unveiling brought together industry representatives and other stakeholders in the presence of Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of the Public Investment Fund. “Tonight, we united the industry, inspired the nation and amazed the world,” DeLuca said, adding: “Tonight, was about revealing the design of the first two vehicles in our seven-vehicle portfolio. Three years in the making, we feel absolutely great tonight. We are excited, confident and ready.” The next step The event represented the latest step in Ceer’s development as it prepares to move from vehicle design to production and market launch. The company’s manufacturing complex is being developed to support annual production of up to 170,000 vehicles, while the project is expected to create about 30,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute around SR30 billion ($8 billion) to the Kingdom’s GDP. Ceer has also established partnerships with global automotive and technology companies, including BMW, Hyundai Transys and Rimac, as it works toward developing a local automotive supply chain and increasing local content. The company has said it aims to reach 45 percent local content by 2034, while 80 percent of its direct workforce is targeted to be Saudi. The launch comes as Saudi Arabia expands investment in electric mobility, advanced manufacturing and related industries under Vision 2030.