Morocco-made car hits the road

First vehicle 100 per cent made in north African nation seen driving in capital Rabat

The first car made entirely in Morocco has taken to the country's roads for the first time after it was unveiled at Gitex Africa.

After stealing the show at the technology exhibition that paired investors with the emerging digital start-up market in Africa, the Neo Motors jeep took to the roads of Rabat.

While just a handful of prototype vehicles have been produced, a $15 million vehicle production plant in the capital is poised to begin work on about 7,000 cars expected to be sold this year.

As Africa’s largest vehicle exporter, Morocco is looking to claim a stake of its own in the automotive market by bringing the range of fibreglass vehicles into the market, with plans to eventually expand into Europe.

Once vehicles leave the assembly line in Ain Aouda from July, vehicles will be offered to consumers for between $15,000 and $20,000, depending on specification.

Styled on an American military jeep of the 1940s, the Neo may run on conventional fuel, but it is fully recyclable.

Although Morocco does not have a net zero target in place, the government’s renewable energy targets are the core of a national decarbonisation strategy.

Morocco aims to increase its renewable energy capacity to 52 per cent of its electricity mix by 2030.

Part of those plans is a greener vehicle also made in Morocco expected to launch in 2025, when the first hydrogen-powered car developed by NamX goes into production.

Another prototype made in Morocco, the NamX Hydrogen Utility Vehicle (HUV) is equipped with a central hydrogen fuel tank.

The car’s six removable capsules can deliver long-range driving capability and the ability to refuel in minutes.

Fuel cell electric vehicles powered by hydrogen are more efficient than cars driven by combustion engines and produce no harmful emissions – only warm air and water vapour.