Electromin and Navya sign sales deal

New deal shows both Electromin and Navya are moving fast

Earlier this week, Petromin Corp.'s e-mobility subsidiary Electromin and autonomous systems startup Navya Group signed a sales distribution agreement for the distribution of Navya's driverless shuttles in Saudi Arabia. The agreement also includes the possibility of joint development of advanced custom autonomous mobility solutions in the Kingdom. 

The Electromin deal comes barely three weeks after the French startup signed an MoU with Saudi's Ministry of Transport to enable the implementation of autonomous vehicle solutions. Both agreements follow the operation of a long term urban mobility trial at NEOM - the futuristic urban mega-development in Tabuk Province - using Navya's Autonom Shuttle Evos. With no plans to allow traditional mechanised transport, NEOM looks set to be the biggest buyer of autonomous road transport in the region.

However, what makes Navya's latest deal so interesting is its choice of partner. Formed last year by lubricants and automotive services company Petromin, Electromin was founded to provide infrastructure solutions, software, and consultancy for e-mobility. In particular, the new company is setting out to underpin the seamless transition to electric vehicle (EV) technology across the Kingdom. The country committed to a net zero target for 2060 in October last year. Electromin was officially launched in November.

In the past few months, Electromin has signed deals with global energy and automation firm Schneider Electric, which markets charging solutions for EVs, and with Australian manufacturer of advanced DC fast EV chargers, Tritium. However, the company clearly seeks to lead in more than simply charging and storage solutions. Electromin aims to become an all-round electric vehicle solutions provider, offering consultancy through to infrastructure, network operation and maintenance, including a seamless charging experience for EV drivers. We now know that future plans include autonomous electric vehicles too.

It's easy to spot why Navya might consider Electromin as a good potential partner. Its parent company, Petromin, is a significant Saudi manufacturer that also has interests in automotive sales and distribution, and was appointed as a strategic partner by Nissan in 2016. Meanwhile, as a company developing a nation-wide network of EV chargers, Electromin is well-placed to develop a support services offering for future Navya customers. More than this, the Saudi company has an absolute focus on the future of urban mobility, and is moving quickly and purposefully ahead. Watch this space!

Find out more about this story:

• Read the Electromin / Navya press release.

• See Middle East AI News 17-Mar-22 for a roundup on the Saudi AV market: https://lnkd.in/eU-d7Ccg

• See my Linkedin post on the Ministry of Transport announcement