Saudi Arabia gears up to take delivery of electric cars

RIYADH — The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) said that it had issued Saudi model Certificate of Accreditation to one of the manufacturers of electric cars.

SASO had received several requests from electric vehicle manufacturers for the Certificate of Accreditation for electric vehicle that is in compliance with the technical regulations for electric vehicles.

The SASO sources said that it is continuing its work to introduce the technical requirements for granting Certificate of Conformity (CoC) for electric vehicles, chargers and their accessories. It urged all car dealers and manufacturers to abide by obtaining the Saudi model Certificate of Accreditation.

SASO said that it has granted permission to import electric vehicles and their chargers commercially, provided that the Saudi model Certificate of Accreditation is issued for the targeted models before the start of the import process.

“It is responsible for issuing the model Certificate of Accreditation and studying the documents that prove the safety and security of vehicles, in accordance with the technical regulations for electric vehicles issued by the organization, which clarifies the requirements necessary for vehicles and chargers to meet safety standards and to ensure that they are tested in accordance with the specifications set in line with the Kingdom’s climatic conditions, and to achieve the best performance for users of electric vehicles and chargers in the Kingdom.

“SASO noted that licenses for electric vehicle charging stations, and consumer rights in the field of electric vehicle maintenance, fall under the responsibilities of a number of concerned authorities, which is outside the organization’s technical competencies.”

It is noteworthy that the existing operating system involving government agencies as well as private specialists in the Kingdom continues studying various aspects to get ready the infrastructure to receive this type of cars in its markets.

This comes through the Infrastructure Committee for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations headed by the Ministry of Energy.

The committee members included representatives of government and private agencies and research centers, such as Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority, SASO, the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center, Saudi Electricity Company and King Abdullah Center for Petroleum Studies and Research.

In June 2020, SASO had organized a virtual workshop titled “The infrastructure of electric vehicles in the Kingdom,” and it was attended by a large number of manufacturers of electric vehicles and chargers.

The workshop was held in coordination with the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, the Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority and the Saudi Electricity Company.

The workshop dealt with the presentation of the details of the legislation and specifications for electric car chargers, which must be taken into account before importing this type of car or their chargers.

SASO is the competent authority entrusted with all matters related to standardization, metrology and quality in the Kingdom.

It provides the necessary measures for quality control of raw materials and products, and set necessary conformity procedures of products based on the verification of quality, legislation and application of the Quality Mark Scheme.

It governs the organizational and executive tasks related to standards, metrology and quality, including laying down Saudi standards of goods, products and services, measurement, and setting procedures of conformity evaluation and certification.