Saudi energy giant Aramco and Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD have signed a joint development agreement to explore innovations in new energy vehicle technologies, strengthening cooperation between the two nations in the low-carbon mobility sector.
The agreement, struck between Saudi Aramco Technologies Company (SATC) and BYD, aims to accelerate the development of solutions that boost energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Both companies will leverage their respective research strengths—Aramco in energy systems and BYD in EV and battery technologies—to drive innovation in sustainable transport.
The collaboration comes as Saudi Arabia intensifies efforts to build its EV infrastructure under its Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to promote sustainability and diversify the national economy.
Ali Al-Meshari, Aramco’s Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination, said the partnership builds on the company’s long-standing research and development initiatives in energy solutions.
“The collaboration between SATC and BYD aims to support energy efficiency improvements, and it builds on Aramco’s extensive research and development of new energy solutions,” he said. “We are exploring a number of pathways to optimise transport efficiency, from advanced powertrain technologies to innovative lower-carbon fuels.”
Al-Meshari emphasised the importance of a multifaceted approach to enable a realistic and effective energy transition, welcoming BYD’s expertise to the joint venture.
BYD’s Senior Vice President Luo Hongbin highlighted the role of international collaboration in accelerating technological breakthroughs. “At the crossroads of technological innovation and environmental protection, BYD always believes that true breakthroughs come from openness and collaboration,” he said.
Hongbin added that BYD and SATC’s combined R&D capabilities would help deliver mobility solutions that merge high performance with a reduced carbon footprint. He expressed confidence that the partnership would support broader climate action targets.
BYD has been a longstanding player in the EV sector and has expanded its footprint across automotive, energy storage, and rail transit segments, contributing to green technology development globally.
Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals firms, has invested heavily in technologies designed to enhance resource efficiency and support energy transition goals.
In January, the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Co.—a joint venture between Saudi’s Public Investment Fund and Saudi Electricity Co.—signed an agreement with Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility, BYD’s local partner, to install high-speed EV chargers across the Kingdom.
Under this initiative, branded EVIQ, more than 5,000 charging stations are expected to be deployed by 2030, bolstering Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a regional hub for electric mobility.
With forecasts indicating that electric and eco-friendly vehicles could make up half of all global car sales by 2035, Saudi Arabia’s push to develop EV infrastructure is seen as a strategic move toward sustainable transportation.
