Saudi Aramco, BYD Partner to Advance Clean Energy Tech

Saudi Aramco, a global leader in energy and chemicals, and Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD have signed a joint development agreement to advance clean energy technologies and enhance vehicle efficiency. The collaboration aims to improve environmental performance and foster innovation in new energy vehicle (NEV) technology.

"Aramco is exploring a number of ways to potentially optimize transport efficiency, from innovative lower-carbon fuels to advanced powertrain concepts”, said Ali A. Al-Meshari, Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination, Aramco. 

This partnership aligns with Aramco’s broader efforts in research and development and environmental stewardship. The company operates a global network of research centers and has launched multiple initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. Aramco aims to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its wholly-owned operated assets by 2050.

"We expect that SATC and our cutting-edge R&D capabilities in new energy vehicles will break the boundaries of geography and mindset to incubate solutions that combine highly efficient performance with a lower carbon footprint,” said Luo Hongbin, Senior Vice President, BYD.

The announcement comes shortly after Tesla entered the Saudi market on Apr.10. As the world’s two largest EV manufacturers, BYD and Tesla are vying for global leadership. BYD has gained recognition for its cost-efficiency and rapid growth, while Tesla recently reported a 13% decline in global sales in 1Q25, attributed to intensifying competition and ongoing controversies surrounding CEO Elon Musk.