Extreme E

Extreme E, an electric car racing series sanctioned by the International Federation of Electric Vehicles (IFEV), chose the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to launch the first season of its global racing series as one of the programs falling under the Quality of Life Program. The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation organized the first season of racing in al-Ula governorate, al-Madinah al-Munawwarah province, known for its sandy dunes and difficult terrain.

The first race of Extreme E, the Desert X Prix, kicked off in al-Ula on April 3, 2021, with qualifying rounds followed by the grand final twenty-four hours later. The event featured the participation of world-renowned and included female contestants.

Al-Ula governorate was chosen to launch Season One of Extreme E given its landscape’s natural beauty, deep history, spectacular scenery, and the presence of ancient cities with elaborate relics carved from sandstone mountains. Also, the Old Town, with its maze of mudbrick homes, offers ideal settings for adventures and recreational activities amidst the oasis or the desert.

The main objective of the international racing series 'Extreme E' is to highlight the challenges of climate change faced by different ecosystems around the world, and to demonstrate the performance of electric SUVs in overcoming difficult conditions.

'Extreme E' carries a message revolving around the risks of climate change and the necessity of reducing carbon emissions to build a high-performance ecosystem. This aims to position the Kingdom as a leader in developing and enhancing alternative energy sources, while preserving them and the environment for future generations, in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

On February 19 and 20, 2022, Season Two of Extreme E for all-electric SUVs – dubbed Desert X Prix – was held in NEOM, the Kingdom, for the second year in a row. The Kingdom hosts the race as one of the programs under the Quality of Life Program, with participation from ten teams represented by twenty contestants.

NEOM was chosen to host the Extreme E race by virtue of its position as the leading alternative energy city. NEOM is home to one of the biggest eco-friendly projects, 'The Line', a model for future urban communities, and a blueprint for balancing living with nature. The Kingdom also presented itself as a global destination for the most competitive sporting contests, based on Saudi Vision 2030, which advocates transforming the Kingdom into an attractive environment for world-class international sports events and raising the quality of life in various regions of the Kingdom.