Hyundai Motor Company has signed an MOU with BEEAH Group, to promote hydrogen mobility demonstration projects in the UAE
Hyundai Motor and BEEAH have agreed to cooperate in a fuel cell electric truck demonstration project which is planned to be conducted in the emirates of Sharjah and Dubai, UAE. The two parties will also work together on technological services and human resources and explore further opportunities along the entire hydrogen value chain using Hyundai Motor’s technology.
As part of the demonstration project, Hyundai Motor will provide a fuel cell electric truck to BEEAH to utilise the vehicle in its normal day-to-day truck operations. Parties aim to confirm the feasibility of Hyundai Motor’s fuel cell electric truck in the UAE under real usage conditions to consider replacing traditional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) truck fleets later on.
Launched in 2020, XCIENT Fuel Cell is the world’s first mass produced fuel cell electric heavy-duty truck. Currently the truck is deployed in six countries, and especially in Switzerland, the 49 trucks successfully accumulated more than eight million km so far. The model that will be used for the demonstration project is a 6x2 cargo truck equipped with two 90 kW hydrogen fuel cell systems (total 180 kW power) and a 350 kW e-motor. Its gross combination weight is a maximum 42,000 kg and offers a driving range of more than 400 km per charge even when fully loaded.
XCIENT Fuel Cell implements the hydrogen fuel cell system offered by HTWO, Hyundai Motor Group's hydrogen business brand. The group is actively expanding its fuel cell business globally, covering various sectors, including passenger and commercial vehicles, marine vessels, aerospace applications, power generation and more.
Mark Freymueller, senior vice president, and head of Global Commercial Vehicle Business at Hyundai Motor Company, said, “We are delighted to support Beeah’s strong commitment to elevating quality of life in the United Arab Emirates by offering concrete sustainability solutions. The Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell truck is the first hydrogen powered truck in the UAE and will undergo several tests under real conditions. This trial run will be the first milestone in a long-term partnership between the Hyundai Motor Company and BEEAH Group. We are currently exploring further areas of collaboration.”
“Hydrogen is a promising alternative to traditional fuel as cities enhance transport connectivity and transition to zero-emissions mobility. We are excited to collaborate with Hyundai and explore ways to apply its technologies for on-ground use cases within our fleet operations, so that we may demonstrate the tangible, positive impact and potential of hydrogen to shape zero-emissions transport networks and achieve net-zero targets,” said Khaled Al Huraimel, group CEO of BEEAH.
