Hyundai Motor Company has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Beeah Group to launch a hydrogen mobility demonstration project in the UAE and explore further opportunities for collaboration.

 

Beeah is the pioneer for sustainability and digitalisation in the Middle East, integrating zero-waste, waste-to-energy and net-zero innovations to drive industries towards sustainability targets. As part of its waste management business, the group operates a fleet of over 2,000 waste collection vehicles, including electric vehicles. In alignment with the UAE’s hydrogen strategy, the group is exploring hydrogen fuel vehicles to decarbonise its own fleet operations and to advance emissions-free mobility for future-ready cities.

 

Hyundai 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’s technology and experience.

 

Fuel cell electric truck

As part of the demonstration project, Hyundai will provide a fuel cell electric truck to Beeah Group 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 over 8 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 over 400 km per charge even when fully loaded.

 

Hyundai has been focusing on hydrogen for 25 years. XCIENT Fuel Cell implements the world-leading hydrogen fuel cell system offered by HTWO, Hyundai'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.

 

Trial run

“We are delighted to support Beeah’s strong commitment to elevating quality of life in the UAE 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 and Beeah Group. We are currently exploring further areas of collaboration,” said Mark Freymueller, Senior Vice President, and head of Global Commercial Vehicle Business at Hyundai Motor Company. 

 

“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. 

 

Beeah Group has set industry benchmarks for sustainable waste management in the Middle East, leveraging cutting edge technologies and innovative, end-to-end integrations to achieve 90% landfill waste diversion in Sharjah, the highest in the region. 

 

Decarbonising fleet operations

By recovering material and introducing them into the circular economy, Beeah has helped save hundreds of thousands of tonnes of emissions. Beeah is now looking to further support regional sustainability targets, particularly in the UAE, by exploring hydrogen to decarbonise its fleet operations,

 

Leading up to COP28 in 2023, the UAE established the “National Hydrogen Strategy 2050”, demonstrating the nation’s plans to position itself as a producer and supplier of hydrogen by 2031. As part of this strategy, the UAE forecast that low-carbon hydrogen demand would reach 2.7 million tons per year by 2031, with hydrogen mobility being one of the off-takers of this demand. Through these initiatives, UAE aims to demonstrate its commitment to utilising cutting-edge technologies and innovations to achieve net zero by 2050.

 

Hyundai has consistently been at the forefront of driving the energy transition within the Middle East region. Its initiatives began with the successful export of two ELEC CITY Fuel Cell buses and one XCIENT Fuel Cell truck to Saudi Arabia in 2020. The group is actively seeking business opportunities in the region by testing product feasibility through numerous tests such as extreme weather testing and developing public-private partnerships to establish a hydrogen economy.--TradeArabia News Service