DETROIT: Electric cars will pick up critical momentum in 2017, many in the auto industry believe — just not in North America.
Tighter emissions rules in China and Europe leave global carmakers and some consumers with little choice but to embrace plug-in vehicles, fueling an investment surge, said industry executives gathered in Detroit this past week for the city’s annual auto show. “Car electrification is an irreversible trend,” said Jacques Aschenbroich, chief executive of auto supplier Valeo, which has expanded sales by 50 percent in five years with a focus on electric, hybrid, connected and self-driving cars.
In Europe, green cars benefit increasingly from subsidies, tax breaks and other perks, while combustion engines face mounting penalties including driving and parking restrictions.
China, struggling with catastrophic pollution levels in major cities, is aggressively pushing plug-in vehicles. Its carrot-and-stick approach combines tens of billions in investment and research funding with subsidies and regulations designed to discourage driving fossil-fueled cars in big cities.
The road ahead for electric vehicles (EVs) in the US, however, could have more hairpin curves. Regulators in California and a group of other US states are pushing ahead with state-level rules mandating rising quotas for electric, or “zero- emission” vehicles.
But plug-in registrations in the US fell in 2015 and the market share of electric-only vehicles declined further to 0.37 percent in 2016, as cheap fuel drove demand for gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks.
President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to roll back environmental and climate rules. Groups representing established automakers asked Trump to review Obama administration fuel economy targets out to 2025, even before the outgoing administration formally signed them into effect on Friday. Automakers have also asked Trump to work toward a single, national set of rules to govern automotive greenhouse gas emissions, a move that could spark legal challenges to electric car quotas in California and other states on grounds they present a separate standard.
Still, industry executives in Detroit said hitting the brakes on electric vehicles in the US would not relieve the pressure to bring them to market, because China and Europe are forging ahead with policies to expand sales of plug-in cars.
That is why Ford is moving forward with previously announced plans to invest $4.5 billion for plug-in vehicles by 2020, Chief Executive Mark Fields said earlier this month. “The industry is changing, the infrastructure is starting to build, and that is why our view is (that) within the next 15 years we will see more electrified offerings…,” Fields said as he unveiled a $700 million plan to build a battery SUV and other plug-in vehicles in Flat Rock, Michigan.
To drive the shift to electric, industry executives said they needed more help from governments.
In China, Europe and the US, automakers are advocating new infrastructure money go to public electric car charging networks.
In the US, EV manufacturers are pushing for the continuation of a $7,500 federal tax subsidy for consumers who buy a fully electric car. Even if Trump were to try to eliminate it, it would take time as Congress would have to act. “There is not a disagreement that the world is going electric,” California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols said on the sidelines of the auto show. The debate, she said, was “over timing, not the goal.”
The Chinese electric car market cast its shadow over the Detroit auto show, where manufacturers showed off plug-in hybrid and electric models that will likely do scant business in the US. IHS Automotive predicts Chinese plug-in deliveries will hit 1 million in 2019, four years before the US. China pulled ahead in 2015 with a fourfold sales surge before adding 55 percent last year to 348,000 vehicles, with the US at 138,000.
“Look to China rather than the US for the future of electric cars,” Gerard Detourbet, a Renault-Nissan executive leading low-cost plug-in development, said recently. “China is compelled to act — that is the main difference.”
China, Europe drive shift to electric cars as US lags
China, Europe drive shift to electric cars as US lags
Telfaz11 aims to invest $135m to support film production
JEDDAH: In just seven years, Saudi Arabia’s cinema industry has transformed from a near-dormant sector into a rapidly growing entertainment market, marked by a significant increase in the number of screens and film production.
In 2025 alone, cinemas in Saudi Arabia screened 538 films, generating revenues exceeding SR920.8 million ($245.4 million) and selling around 18.8 million tickets. This performance reflects a growing audience base and rising demand for local cinematic content, underscoring the accelerating growth of the domestic film market.
Telfaz11 investments in the film sector
Amid this growth, local content companies continue to increase their investments to build a sustainable film industry. Telfaz11 is one of the leading companies in this effort, having invested over SR110 million since 2022 in film production and the development of cinema projects.
Speaking to Al-Eqtisadiah, CEO Alaa Fadan said that the company has an ambitious plan to inject more than SR500 million over the next five years to support film production and expand the scope of its projects.
Record-breaking box-office films
Fadan noted that Telfaz11 has produced the three highest-grossing films in Saudi cinema history, generating over SR97 million in total. These include “Sattar,” which earned around SR39 million; “Night Courier,” or “Mandoob,” with approximately SR28 million; and “Al-Zarfa,” which brought in about SR30 million.
These figures highlight the success of local cinematic projects and their ability to attract audiences while generating strong revenue.
Industry still in building phase
Fadan explained that the progress achieved over the past seven years represents rapid advancement compared with other emerging film industries worldwide. However, he stressed that the sector is still in a building phase and has not yet reached full maturity.
He said that Saudi Arabia now possesses key foundational elements such as widespread cinema screens, local production companies, a new generation of filmmakers, and audiences increasingly accustomed to watching Saudi films.
Nonetheless, he added, developing a fully integrated industry requires years of accumulated experience, continuous production, and a robust system for financing, distribution, and training.
Talent and specialized workforce challenges
Fadan believes the real challenge does not lie in a single element of the industry, but in the integration of the entire cinematic ecosystem, emphasizing that Saudi talent in writing, directing, and acting is now evident, yet expanding production requires increasing the number of qualified professionals.
For example, he stressed, the market needs more screenwriters capable of developing commercially appealing stories for audiences.
On the technical side, local teams have shown significant development, although some reliance on international expertise in advanced specializations continues, which is normal in the early stages of any industry.
Importance of marketing and distribution
Fadan emphasized that marketing and distribution are crucial elements in a film’s success, as a film’s performance now depends not only on its artistic quality but also on its ability to reach audiences and be promoted strategically, both locally and internationally.
He noted that Telfaz11’s prior experience in digital content creation before entering cinema gave the company a key advantage, allowing it to build a direct relationship with audiences online through hundreds of clips and projects that helped establish a broad fan base.
This connection, he added, enabled the company to understand Saudi viewers’ tastes and create anticipation around new releases.
Therefore, Fadan said, marketing is not viewed as a post-production step but as an integral part of project development from the outset, including building a clear film identity, designing creative communication campaigns, and leveraging digital platforms to reach audiences effectively.
Equation for successful commercial film
According to Fadan, the success of a commercial film depends on three main elements: a strong and engaging story, a deep understanding of audience interests, and an effective marketing and distribution strategy.
At the same time, the biggest challenge in production remains balancing risk and return, especially for high-budget commercial films that require significant investments and carefully planned production decisions.
Supporting local talent and creative economy
Since entering film production, Telfaz11 has invested SR110 million between 2022 and 2025 in various cinematic projects.
More than 10,000 local professionals have participated in the company’s work across different projects. The company also established several writing rooms that have trained over 30 emerging writers from the new generation.
In addition, Telfaz11 has collaborated with more than 100 local suppliers and companies in production, logistics, equipment, and design, supporting the creative economy and enhancing the participation of local businesses in the sector.
Cultural initiatives to strengthen cinema community
The company also launched the Cinema Valley initiative, an independent pop-up cinema experience designed to create a cultural community around films and encourage audiences to interact directly with movies and their creators.
Future plans and ongoing production
Looking ahead, the company is currently developing over 40 project ideas at various stages, some of which have already entered the writing phase in preparation for production over the next two years.
The company aims to release its works across multiple platforms, including cinemas and digital streaming services, with a plan to produce roughly three projects annually. The first of these in 2026 is the series “Alkhallat+.”
New phase for Saudi cinema
With these investments and rapid growth, Saudi cinema is entering a new phase, potentially evolving from a promising market into a fully integrated industry in the coming years, supported by increasing production, developing talent, and a growing local audience base.
