Made in Morocco, cars lead African market with 44% growth from last year
ALBAWABA – Moroccan entrepreneurs, Neo Motors and NamX, unveiled the first model and prototype of their locally developed vehicles on Monday, Morocco World News reported.
Two cars were presented to the Moroccan Monarch, King Mohammed VI, during the unveiling ceremony that took place at the Royal Palace in Rabat.
Neo Motors’ vehicle sports a conventional internal combustion engine, whereas NamX’s is a hydrogen-powered car, dubbed the Hydrogen Utility Vehicle (HUV).
The prior was entirely locally designed and developed, according to Morocco World News. The latter was designed in collaboration with the Italian design office and coachbuilder ‘Pininfarina’.
NamX’s HUV is set to be released in 2025, the Moroccan news outlet highlighted.
During the ceremony, King Mohammed bestowed upon Neo Motors CEO Nassim Belkhayat and NamX’s President Faouzi Annajah the intellectual excellence order award (Wissam Al Kafaa Al Fikria).
Morocco-French businessman Annajah co-created the world’s first car that is partially powered by a patented removable hydrogen tank system.
As for Belkhayat, the Moroccan entrepreneur created the first 100% Moroccan car company, Neo Motors, in 2018.
Morocco is currently the largest car manufacturer in Africa.
In the first quarter of the year 2023, exports from Morocco’s automotive industry reached MAD 33.9 billion ($3.36 billion).
The Moroccan car manufacturing sector achieved 44 percent in growth on year-on-year basis, as reported by Morocco World News.
Neo Motors is currently in the process of opening an industrial complex in Ain Aouda, in the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra Region. The budget for which is set at MAD 156 million ($15 million).
The complex will be dedicated to manufacturing vehicles for both the local market and export.
Production capacity at the complex is estimated at 27,000 units per year, which is expected to create 580 jobs, the Moroccan news outlet stated.
