Emirates Transport, the UAE’s leading transport provider, is to begin pilot testing hydrogen and electric commercial vehicles supplied by Al Ghurair Motors as part of a new agreement.

Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) announced at Gitex Global 2024, the world’s largest technology event, Emirates Transport and Al Ghurair Motors, agreed to collaborate on the exploration and promotion of alternative-fuel commercial vehicles.

The partnership will evaluate the feasibility of these sustainable vehicles and execute pilot projects for their use and aims to foster innovation and position the UAE as a leader in sustainable transportation technologies.

Major step

The testing of commercial hydrogen and electric commercial vehicles by Emirates Transport is a significant development in the fuel’s usage in the UAE and a major step towards integrating hydrogen technology into the company’s national fleet.

As Emirates Transport is the UAE’s leading provider of school transport, vehicle rental and other public transport services, operating over 32,000 vehicles, introducing green fuel is a key part of its strategy, and is fully aligned with the UAE’s goal of making half of all vehicles on the road electric by 2050.

Hydrogen-powered vehicles are also being promoted as an important step to reducing transport emissions and meeting the UAE’s strategic objective of reaching net zero by 2050.

The pilot projects will be performed with hydrogen and electric-powered commercial vehicles, serving Emirates Transport’s clients in business, government, and the public. The longer-term aim is to integrate increasing numbers of alternative-fuel vehicles into the fleet.

Technical training

Under the MoU, Al Ghurair Motors, with the support of the manufacturer, will provide comprehensive technical training to Emirates Transport staff, making sure they are given the new skills necessary to operate and maintain the hydrogen and electric commercial vehicles.

Emirates Transport has more than 46 workshops across the UAE, and they will all be equipped to perform maintenance on these vehicles, with mechanics fully prepared to support the integration and expansion of these advanced technologies.

The partnership includes a mutual commitment to explore and develop infrastructure, such as electric vehicle (EV) charging & hydrogen fueling technology, to support the pilot projects with the aim of scaling up in the future.

Dominic Hagerty, Emirates Transport’s Chief Transport and Lease Officer said the MoU represented a new era of collaboration to bring eco-friendly transport solutions to the UAE’s roads.

“The research and feasibility studies that will be conducted with Al Ghurair Motors demonstrate the willingness of the two parties to align with governmental sustainability goals, contribute to policy development and set the stage for national infrastructure advancements,” he said.

“This alliance underscores a shared dedication to environmental responsibility, enhances customer experience, improves operational efficiency and contributes to economic diversification and job creation, thereby reinforcing the UAE's broader objectives for sustainable development and innovation in green technology.”

Net-zero goals

Oscar Rivoli, Chief Executive Officer of Al Ghurair Motors, said advanced sustainable commercial vehicles would be key to helping the UAE reach its net-zero goals.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with Emirates Transport to test the feasibility of using electric and hydrogen technologies in commercial vehicles for their extensive services.

“As the technology of these vehicles improves, we must also work together to ensure the training, maintenance and infrastructure that supports these new technologies is tested and implemented to help us reach the UAE’s important sustainability goals.”

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