AVL and CEER expand EV collaboration

The Austrian development service provider AVL and Saudi EV manufacturer CEER are deepening their partnership: in a letter of intent, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to jointly advance the development of new EVs and the establishment of an automotive ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.

Gl corp brain 0jpg — AVL will support CEER in additional areas of vehicle development and industrialization in the future
Image: AVL

The agreement, signed by both parties at the Private Sector Forum (PIF), expands the existing collaboration between AVL and CEER. The partnership is designed to cover the entire development process – from vehicle development and the integration of high-voltage systems to homologation, simulation, and testing and validation services.

In an accompanying press release, AVL stated that the aim is to accelerate the development of new EVs and support their market introduction. The partnership also seeks to promote technology transfer and support the establishment of local development and manufacturing capabilities. This collaboration aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the kingdom’s economy and build a competitive automotive industry.

CEER CEO James DeLuca described the collaboration with AVL as a significant step in building a comprehensive automotive ecosystem in Saudi Arabia. He also announced that CEER plans to unveil its first production models by the end of 2026. For AVL, the agreement provides a foundation to jointly develop technologies for the next generation of electric vehicles and support industrialisation in the kingdom.

CEER was founded in 2022 by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the contract manufacturer Foxconn. The company’s vehicles will be based on platforms from Foxtron and produced in Saudi Arabia in the future. To develop its vehicle programmes, CEER is collaborating with several international partners. The company has already agreed to work with the engineering service provider FEV to establish a local automotive and supplier ecosystem, as well as with Rimac for the supply of electric powertrains. With the newly signed memorandum, CEER is expanding this partner network to include AVL.

For AVL, this collaboration is part of its broader activities in electromobility. The company develops powertrain systems as well as testing and simulation solutions for battery-electric vehicles, and is also one of the industry partners of the recently opened eMOTION Lab at TU Wien. There, new technologies for power electronics and electric drives will be researched and further developed in collaboration with industry partners.

avl.com