Foxconn Interconnect Technology, a subsidiary of Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology Group, will start construction on its first Middle East manufacturing facility in December, targeting electric vehicle charging infrastructure for Saudi Arabia’s ambitious electrification goals.
The factory, a joint venture with Saudi partner Saleh Suleiman Alrajhi & Sons through their Smart Mobility company, will begin production within 8 to 12 months of groundbreaking, according to Chairman Sidney Lu. The facility will initially focus on assembly operations before gradually incorporating component manufacturing.
The announcement came during Hon Teng’s annual technology showcase in Taipei, where Saudi Prince Fahad bin Nawaf Al Saud appeared as Smart Mobility’s chairman and CEO, promoting a “data is the new oil” vision for the kingdom’s technological transformation.
The Saudi venture represents another expansion vector for Foxconn beyond its existing electric vehicle footprint in Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. The conglomerate has been pursuing multiple Middle Eastern partnerships, including a separate joint venture with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to manufacture Ceer-branded electric vehicles.
Saudi Arabia has mandated that 30% of vehicles must be electrified by 2030 as part of Vision 2030, its economic diversification program away from oil dependence. The kingdom views charging infrastructure development as critical to meeting those targets.
Foxconn Interconnect has been building its automotive portfolio through acquisitions, purchasing German companies Prettl SWH and Auto-Kabel Group to strengthen its electrification capabilities. The company expects automotive revenue to reach $1 billion next year, up from approximately $700 million in 2024.
Lu acknowledged that production scale will depend on business development, with the company initially importing products to Saudi Arabia before local manufacturing begins. The venture reflects broader ambitions to establish the Middle East as an export hub for Foxconn’s expanding electric vehicle and component operations.
The factory timeline coincides with increasing demand for Foxconn Interconnect’s AI server components, which Lu said are operating at full capacity with customers requesting production expansion.
