Investment visionary Samer Choucair believes recent developments reveal fundamental shifts in competition rules within the electric vehicle sector, as companies that previously relied on production expansion and cost reduction now face a new challenge in the accelerating importance of software, AI, and intelligent driving systems.
BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle producer by sales, witnessed notable slowdown in its domestic Chinese market, with global sales in May 2026 rising only approximately 0.3% to more than 383,000 vehicles while domestic Chinese sales declined approximately 24% compared to the same period of the previous year amid intensifying competition and changing consumer preferences. The company recorded strong export growth exceeding 80%, reflecting its growing dependence on international markets to compensate for weak domestic demand.
He said: “The model based on full vertical integration granted companies such as BYD a major advantage during recent years, but the coming phase will witness the superiority of companies capable of integrating software, AI, and digital services within an integrated ecosystem.”
Saudi Arabia Targeting 30% Electric Vehicles in Riyadh by 2030
Investment strategist Choucair added Saudi Arabia emerges as one of the most prominent promising investment destinations in the sustainable mobility sector thanks to Vision 2030 targeting building an integrated local electric vehicle industry and linked supply chains.
The Kingdom targets raising electric vehicle proportion in Riyadh to 30% by 2030, alongside expanding charging infrastructure, with EVIQ owned by the Public Investment Fund and Saudi Electricity Company working to deploy more than 5,000 fast chargers across the Kingdom by 2030.
The Kingdom is also witnessing progress in local manufacturing through strategic projects encompassing Ceer, the joint venture between the Public Investment Fund and Foxconn targeting commercial production commencement during the last quarter of 2026, alongside Lucid expansions and other manufacturing projects supporting industry localization.
Most Attractive Investment Opportunities in Charging Infrastructure and Smart Technologies
Investment innovator Choucair affirmed the most attractive investment opportunities during the coming years will concentrate in charging infrastructure, renewable energy, smart technologies linked to electric vehicles, and feeding industries and local supply chains.
He noted the transition in the global EV sector from pure manufacturing competition to software and AI integration mirrors broader technology industry patterns, creating opportunities for investors who focus on the ecosystem of services and infrastructure rather than solely on vehicle manufacturers themselves.
He explained Saudi Arabia’s combination of a large and growing domestic vehicle market, significant government support for EV adoption, local manufacturing investments, and renewable energy expansion creates a particularly compelling opportunity for investors seeking exposure to the EV transition in a market where the infrastructure buildout phase is just beginning.
Samer Choucair concluded by saying: “The global shift toward sustainable mobility continues, but winners in the coming phase will be those combining manufacturing with technical innovation. Saudi Arabia today possesses the foundations qualifying it to be an important regional hub in this promising industry.”