Smart Mobility International has begun UAE customer deliveries of the IM LS9 luxury six-seater SUV, manufactured by China's SAIC Motor. The range-extended electric vehicle offers over 1,500 km of combined range, 523 horsepower of continuous output, and advanced four-wheel steering. The distributor also revealed that a five-seater IM LS8 model with 1,605 km range will follow.
China has set a national roadmap to advance all-solid-state batteries toward initial large-scale deployment by 2030. The initiative leverages a vertically integrated industrial ecosystem spanning cell makers, material processors, and state agencies. According to the International Energy Agency, China manufactured over 80 percent of the world's batteries in 2025.
Dubai Chambers President and CEO Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah expects commercial and investment links with China to expand further. Speaking ahead of the Dubai Business Forum in Shenzhen, Lootah emphasized growing appetite among Chinese technology and artificial intelligence firms to use Dubai as a gateway to regional and international markets. The initiatives align with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) to foster cross-border innovation and trade.
Saudi Aramco has unexpectedly reduced its official selling prices for crude oil delivered to Asia in November to six-year lows. The flagship Arab Light grade was priced at a 5-dollar-per-barrel discount to the Oman and Dubai benchmark average, marking a 3-dollar reduction from October. Asian refining sources indicated the price cuts appear intended to offset elevated freight costs and safeguard export market share.
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