Chinese carmaker ROX has started producing its ADAMAS SUV in Abu Dhabi, with the first vehicles coming off a new line in the emirate’s Kezad industrial zone this week. The brand, which moved its global headquarters to the UAE last year, plans to have production capacity for 20,000 vehicles in 2027, rising to 300,000 by 2030 for local and export markets.
Gulf countries are building up local car industries at varying scales. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund backs EV maker Lucid, whose assembly plant near Jeddah will reach full production this year, and owns CEER, the kingdom’s homegrown EV brand expected to roll out this year. Qatar is also interested in the space.
ROX is already designing models to local tastes: An Abu Dhabi Edition due in March draws inspiration from Khoos, the Emirati craft of weaving palm fronds.