Saudi Arabia unveils futuristic Exobot EVs with Tesla-style doors

Saudi Arabian startup Ceer unveiled two strikingly futuristic electric vehicles on Monday, both named Exobot — a sedan and an SUV. Both are expected to launch in Saudi Arabia in 2027, and the company plans to add five more models to its lineup by 2030.

The Exobot's design draws heavily on science-fiction aesthetics, featuring sharp, wedge-shaped bodywork and gullwing doors reminiscent of the Tesla Model X. The sedan has low, supercar-like proportions with a steeply raked windshield and a thin, full-width LED light bar up front. The SUV, by contrast, has a blocky, military-inspired stance with high ground clearance. Both vehicles were designed by Rob Melville, McLaren's former design director, though according to Autocar, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had final approval over the designs.

Ceer is a joint venture between Saudi Arabia's PIF sovereign wealth fund and Foxconn, the Taiwanese company best known for manufacturing Apple's iPhones. The company is led by CEO Jim DeLuca, who spent 37 years at General Motors, including a stint as executive vice president for global manufacturing. DeLuca told Reuters the goal was to show the world what Saudi Arabia is capable of.

Saudi Arabia's earlier attempts to build an automotive industry have had mixed results: plans for a Jaguar-Land Rover factory fell through more than a decade ago, and Toyota turned down a deal with the kingdom in 2019. PIF also holds a controlling stake in Lucid Motors, which is building a manufacturing plant in the country. Ceer's initial models will be electric, but future vehicles will include hybrid and combustion-engine options depending on market demand. Several EV startups, including Fisker and Lordstown, have gone bankrupt in recent years, leaving open the question of whether Ceer can succeed where others have failed.