JW Group, a Pakistani industrial conglomerate, has announced the establishment of a commercial vehicle joint venture (JV) named RoBUS with Robo.ai Inc., a NASDAQ-listed technology company. According to a statement, the JV will be headquartered in the United Arab Emirates.
Robo.ai has appointed River Zhang, a former senior executive at NIO, Ford, and Volvo, as Chief Industrial Officer of Robo.ai and President of RoBUS. The new entity will develop customised products for the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, tailored to local regulations and customer needs.
Under the JV, Robo.ai will contribute capital market support, brand-building expertise, and global market expansion. JW Group will provide manufacturing capacity through its overseas facilities and market access via its network of more than 400 distributors.
JW Group already partners with China’s Jinpeng to promote electric mobility in Pakistan. Its Chief Executive Officer Javed Afridi said RoBUS would help accelerate the adoption of green and smart commercial vehicles, adding that the company aims to create an intelligent manufacturing platform to serve global markets.
River Zhang said RoBUS would also support the UAE’s ‘We the UAE 2031’ national vision. He noted that following Robo.ai’s recent investment in Arkreen, a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) technology company, the JV’s smart vehicles are envisioned as carriers of green mobility and as assets integrated into intelligent economic ecosystems.
JW Group operates across automotive, home appliances, energy, and real estate, with established assembly capacity and a global sales network. Robo.ai Inc. is focused on building a global AI-enabled robotics platform that integrates smart mobility, smart cities, and smart assets into an artificial intelligence operating system and blockchain-enabled ecosystem.
