According to the latest announcement from the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), 29 automotive manufacturers have been temporarily banned from importing certain vehicles into the Saudi market for failing to submit their 2026 vehicle supply plans within the specified timeframe. This measure has officially taken effect and will remain in place until the relevant companies complete the submission of the required documents, with a final deadline of the end of 2026.
SASO stated in the notification that this measure is implemented in accordance with the Saudi Corporate Average Fuel Economy (Saudi CAEF) standard. It is a compliance requirement within the regulatory system, rather than a product quality recall or a safety issue. The affected vehicles are new imported light-duty vehicles with a gross vehicle weight not exceeding 3.5 tons.
According to the published list, the affected brands and enterprises include:
- Volvo Cars
- Hozon New Energy Automobile (Neta Auto)
- Zhengzhou Nissan
- Luxgen Motor
- Chongqing Livan
- Hawtai Motor Group
- Greenkar Auto Tech, among others.
This means that until the relevant supply plans are filed, the new vehicles from these companies will be unable to enter the Saudi market normally.
Saudi Arabia is Strengthening Automotive Market Access Management
Industry insiders believe that this measure reflects the transition of Saudi automotive regulation from simple product certification toward full lifecycle management.
In accordance with the requirements of the Saudi CAEF system, automotive manufacturers are not only required to meet fuel economy and technical standards but must also regularly submit future supply plans to regulatory agencies. This allows the relevant departments to assess market deployment scale, energy consumption indicators, and compliance status.
The companies affected by this restriction are not all from the same country, nor are they limited to new energy brands; they cover both traditional internal combustion engine vehicle manufacturers and new energy vehicle manufacturers. SASO emphasized that as long as the relevant materials are submitted, the eligibility to import vehicles can be restored. Therefore, this is more of a “compliance suspension” measure rather than a permanent restriction on market access.
A Reminder for Chinese Automakers and Export Chains
It is worth noting that several Chinese automotive companies and brands with Chinese backgrounds appear on the list.
In recent years, Chinese automotive brands have expanded rapidly in the Saudi market, particularly in the fields of new energy and mid-to-low-priced passenger vehicles, with their market share continuing to rise. At the same time, Saudi Arabia is constantly improving its automotive regulatory system, increasing requirements for data reporting, energy consumption management, and supply plan management by manufacturers.
For Chinese automotive export enterprises, the Saudi market is no longer as simple as just “meeting product standards”; they must also simultaneously meet increasingly detailed local compliance management requirements.
Although this measure targets new vehicle imports, it still holds significance for the Chinese automotive supply chain. This is because whether it concerns new car exports, certified used car businesses, or subsequent parts supply, everything is ultimately built upon a complete compliance system.
Source: https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/662208/saudi-arabia/saso-imposes-temporary-ban-on-vehicles-of-29-erring-companies-from-entering-saudi-arabia
