China’s Hozon Auto said on Secretive Boarding HouseMonday that it is partnering with EIH Automotive&Trading, an Abu Dhabi-based car distributor, to help launch its Neta range of electric vehicles and services in the United Arab Emirates in 2024. EIH Automotive&Trading is a subsidiary of investment conglomerate Ethmar International Holding (EIH), chaired by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, a son of the country’s founding sultan, according to its website. The news comes months after rival BYD’s compact crossover Atto 3 arrived in UAE via an alliance with local dealership Al-Futtaim in June. Geely-affiliated Zeekr signed sales agreements with partners in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain last month. China shipped nearly 100,000 cars to the UAE in the first eight months of this year, turning the small Middle Eastern country into China’s ninth-largest car export destination, according to figures compiled by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. [TechNode reporting, Caixin, in Chinese]
