Electric SUV race coming to Saudi Arabia’s NEOM

An electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) race will kick off in Saudi Arabia tomorrow. 

The Extreme E Desert X Prix will run from Feb. 19-20 at the site of the planned futuristic city of NEOM in northwest Saudi Arabia. The race features electric SUVs, commanded by teams of two. Extreme E seeks to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly practices by featuring electric SUVs, according to its website. 

The organizers decided to hold the race in NEOM “to highlight the causes of desertification, the loss of biological diversity, and the importance of resilience in this vulnerable region.” They also said the planned city represents a “significant cultural and societal shift.” Extreme E also held a race in Saudi Arabia last year, per the website. 

Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is seeking to diversify its economy and reduce dependence on oil revenues. This has prompted Salman, via the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, to invest in a variety of futuristic technologies. 

The economic diversification effort, which is officially known as Vision 2030, has also included new types of sports. Last month, the sovereign wealth fund launched a group to work on competitive video gaming, aka e-sports. 

Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said holding the Extreme E race aligned with the country’s efforts to “host the most important and largest international sporting events,” the official Saudi Press Agency reported today. 

Saudi Arabia is not giving up oil just yet, however. The country remains a leading producer, and oil prices have risen to a historic high recently. 

Electric vehicles appeal to drivers because they emit less carbon into the atmosphere. However, manufacturing such vehicles can also harm the environment. Batteries for electric cars rely on mining rare earth metals, for example.