Egypt Rolls Out First EV Produced Locally in Partnership with Dongfeng Motor
On 31 October 2026, El Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Company and Al Safy Group held a ceremony to celebrate the first electric vehicle (#EV) rolling off the assembly line at the factory in Helwan, Cairo. Egypt’s Industry Minister Khaled Hashem, Renewable Energy Minister Mahmoud Esmat, and executives from El Nasr, Al Safy, and Dongfeng attended the event, along with other suppliers and partners. In total, 200 guests were present for the historical event.
The project is under SN Automotive, a joint venture between Al Safy Group (76%), a private Egyptian conglomerate, and El Nasr Auto (24%), Egypt’s state-owned auto manufacturer. Dongfeng does not own equity in the JV but is a partner that licenses its know-how to SN Automotive by providing design and parts.
In particular, Dongfeng provides core components such as the drivetrains and smart mobility systems as part of Completely Knocked-Down (CKD) kits. Dongfeng also dispatched technicians to configure the assembly lines and train local employees as per Dongfeng quality and safety standards.
The JV was established with an initial capital investment of USD 40 million. El Nasr also made available the manufacturing facilities at Helwan. Further to the upgrade of the assembly line, the production capacity can yield up to 50,000 electric vehicles annually. Taking advantage of its location at the intersection of the Middle East, Africa and Europe, Egypt plans to eventually expand overseas into the regional markets.
On the day, the first locally manufactured Dongfeng Mage EV symbolically rolled off the assembly line. The event was broadcast live on national TV as it marks Egypt’s entry into the EV production era.
Currently, SN Auto has licensed nine models from Dongfeng Motor. The first SUV achieved 45% local content, and Egypt plans to increase this in the future. To that effect, Egypt’s El Araby Group and the Arab Organization for Industrialization are joining forces to manufacture core automotive components locally.