Industry Minister Ryad Mezzour was full of praise for Neo, Morocco's new 100% electric vehicle

Morocco: first 100% electric vehicle sets new milestone

photo_camera PHOTO/ARCHIVO - Stellantis announces investment of more than 300 million euros in Kenitra, Morocco, to double site's production capacity and launch "smart car" platform

It is not a secret that Morocco's economic and industrial development is advancing by leaps and bounds. The ratification of the success of the Neo car - the first Moroccan-made car to be 100% electric - is the latest confirmation of the North African country's development. According to Minister Ryad Mezzour, the new Moroccan vehicle will be available on the local market in the coming weeks at an average price of $16,200. After becoming the largest exporter of passenger cars to Europe, Morocco's automotive industry is now looking to increase its share of the domestic market. 

Speaking about Morocco's automotive sector, the official emphasised that the country should be proud of its achievements in car manufacturing. The Moroccan-made vehicle will mark a new milestone as it will carry a Moroccan name, Mezzour added, noting that his ministry is working together with Moroccan investors to increase the "integration rate so that the parts are also mainly Moroccan". The head of government also highlighted the contribution of Moroccan managers to the progress of the electric car sector at the Kenitra plant. The Alawi kingdom aims to become the most competitive automotive industrial platform. 

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"For the moment it will be destined for the local market, but we are confident and we will support and do our best to give this operator an international dimension," the minister said. Mezzour also emphasised the challenges facing Morocco's automotive sector, including the difficulty of attracting a third manufacturer in Morocco due to the current global situation. "The European market is the main market to which we sell our vehicles. This, as well as the global automotive market, is in decline," he said. "Whatever competitive position Morocco has, the declining market makes it difficult to attract a third manufacturer," Mezzour argued. 

In a statement in the House of Representatives, Mezzour highlighted Morocco's automotive assets and that the Alawi kingdom will host 10,000 car design engineers working for high-end brands from Germany, the UK, France and the US. "Morocco's flourishing automotive industry reflects a strong skilled labour base," he stressed. He ended his speech by asserting that the country is "absolutely capable" of manufacturing cars thanks to: factories such as the Kenitra plant, specialised personnel and the investments being made in the sector between cash injections and subsidies to companies in the sector. 

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Morocco is at the forefront of ultra-fast charging of electric car batteries thanks to the contribution of researcher Rachid Yazami. The Moroccan inventor was present at the Digital Energy Smart Battery Forum held in Casablanca and gave a presentation on the intelligent development planned for this type of electric vehicle charging. Rachid Yazami's breakthroughs are the basis for decisive developments in various sectors such as the automotive industry. At the event, the Moroccan inventor's advances were contrasted with other representatives of different productive sectors, including renewable energies.  

Morocco is aiming to be one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly countries in terms of climate change. The Moroccan automotive industry expects to reach an annual production capacity of approximately one million electric cars in the coming years. To do so, it will need to secure the supply of batteries, which is essential for this type of vehicle. To this end, the Ministry of Industry and Trade announced last July that it was negotiating with battery manufacturers to build a factory before the end of 2022. 

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