The UAE has taken another step towards local car production, with ROX delivering its first 100 UAE-manufactured luxury SUVs from its Abu Dhabi facility.
UAE-made ROX vehicles enter the market
The first batch of 100 vehicles carries the ‘Made in the Emirates’ mark and forms part of the company’s UAE Signature Edition.
The vehicles were manufactured at ROX’s AI Manufacturing Centre in Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD), following collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO).
The delivery marks a new stage in the company’s efforts to establish vehicle manufacturing operations in the UAE and serve customers across regional markets.
Each vehicle is a luxury SUV produced through a numbered production process, with the UAE Signature Edition highlighting its place of manufacture.
Abu Dhabi facility combines manufacturing and AI
ROX established its Abu Dhabi facility in six months, bringing vehicle manufacturing, artificial intelligence and design capabilities together under one roof.
The facility includes three main components:
A Manufacturing Centre for vehicle production.
An AI Lab focused on artificial intelligence capabilities.
A Design Studio supporting vehicle design and development.
The company plans to expand its manufacturing operations and develop local capabilities, including supply chains that support production.
Jarvis, Founder and CEO of ROX, said: “The delivery of our first UAE-manufactured vehicles is an important milestone in ROX’s long-term commitment to Abu Dhabi and the UAE. In a short period, we have established advanced manufacturing, AI and design capabilities that allow us to produce vehicles locally and serve customers across the region.”
He added: “We will continue working with our partners to expand our manufacturing operations, develop local capabilities and strengthen the supply chains supporting production. We look forward to establishing the UAE as a base for vehicle manufacturing and contributing to the continued development of an advanced automotive industry ecosystem.”
UAE strengthens its automotive manufacturing ambitions
The project forms part of the UAE’s wider efforts to expand domestic manufacturing and attract investment in advanced industrial sectors.
MoIAT is supporting the project through the Make it in the Emirates initiative, which aims to increase the contribution of industry to the national economy and strengthen local production capabilities.
Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Undersecretary of MoIAT, said: “The UAE continues to develop an integrated industrial and investment ecosystem that attracts investment. We are focused on expanding the country’s advanced manufacturing base and accelerating the adoption of advanced technology and artificial intelligence, strengthening industry’s contribution to economic diversification and competitiveness, in line with the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology and the Make it in the Emirates initiative.”
Mohammad Ali Al Kamali, Chief Trade and Industry Officer at ADIO, said: “ROX’s journey in Abu Dhabi demonstrates how investment can translate into tangible industrial capabilities and opportunities for global growth. The delivery of the first batch of 100 vehicles reflects the company’s commitment to strengthening its manufacturing operations and associated value chains in the emirate, contributing to the development of an automotive ecosystem that supports the localization of industrial activities and strengthens supply chains.”
Further production planned in Abu Dhabi
The first 100 vehicles establish a starting point for the next phase of ROX’s manufacturing operations in Abu Dhabi.
Continued production at ICAD/KEZAD is expected to support the company’s expansion plans into regional markets.
The project also aligns with Abu Dhabi’s Industrial Strategy, which aims to develop an integrated automotive ecosystem covering manufacturing, design, advanced technology and research and development.
For UAE consumers, the development adds another locally manufactured vehicle offering to the market, while supporting the country’s longer-term ambition to build its own advanced automotive manufacturing capabilities.
