Hyundai Motor Co. recently delivered four hydrogen-powered vehicles, including two buses, to Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer.
South Korea’s largest automotive group confirmed in a statement last month that it shipped two Nexo crossover SUVs and two Fuel-Cell EV (FCEV) Elec City buses to Saudi Arabia from a port in Ulsan, southeast of Seoul, at the end of September.
This is the first time Hyundai has exported its FCEV buses to overseas markets, said the firm.
The deal follows an agreement made last year to explore ways of bringing more hydrogen-fuelled electric cars to the Middle Eastern country.
Hyundai reported that the four electric vehicles have been made available for test driving and other pilot projects in the Kingdom. The Elec City bus can run about 430 kilometers on a single charge, it added.
The automaker also commented that the shipments are significant as they demonstrate Saudi Arabia’s commitment to looking at the possibilities of cleaner fuel. Hyundai said it hopes to prove its technological prowess in hydrogen vehicles through the export of the four vehicles to Saudi Arabia.
The company said it has sold a total of 10,698 Nexo hydrogen crossover SUVs in global markets, including 8,908 units in Korea, from 2018 through August to 2020.
