Neo Motors is a Moroccan automobile manufacturing startup headquartered in Aïn El Aouda, near Rabat, Morocco. Founded in May 2018 by Nassim Belkhayat and Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, a prototype SUV was unveiled in May 2023 during a showcase to King Mohammed VI.
History
Nassim Belkhayat began a project to manufacture fully Moroccan made car in 2016. The same year, a chassis based on the 1940 Jeep Willys was developed and designed for Neo Motors in cooperation with Wallyscar.
The project concretized in 2017, after Stellantis began the manufacturing of a car engine in the PSA Kenitra plant. The company was registered in May 2018, and their chassis design was patented shortly afterwards. In 2019, politician Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid acquired 50% of Neo Motors' capital through a 500 million dirham (about USD) investment.
The production plant in Aïn El Aouda began construction in 2020. A prototype underwent a crash test in 2022 and was subsequently approved by the National Agency for Road Safety in February 2023.
In May 2023, a prototype SUV was unveiled alongside the NamX HUV in the Royal Palace of Rabat, during a showcase of Moroccan-made vehicles to King Mohammed VI. In June 2023, a model was presented at the GITEX Africa trade show in Marrakech.
Operations
The Neo Motors production plant is based in Aïn El Aouda, near Rabat, with a $15 million investment and currently has 45 employees and a production capacity of 5,000 units.
The company's goal is to manufacture a car fully made in Morocco, with a 65% integration rate and fifteen Moroccan suppliers. The engine is manufactured in Kenitra by Stellantis, the sheet metal by in Casablanca, the metal is bent at Technique Aciers before being welded by Socafix and the bodywork being made in Neo Motors' Aïn El Aouda plant.
Models
The first model, a fully recyclable fiberglass compact SUV, is expected to cost 170,000 dirham (US$17,000). The car, codenamed Niya or Siir, has the patented chassis based on the 1940 Jeep Willys, and has a retractable hardtop roof.