South Korea's Hyundai Motor Company signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Korea Automotive Technology Institute (KATECH), Air Products Qudra (APQ) and the Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) to establish and develop an ecosystem for hydrogen-based mobility in Saudi Arabia.

Specific areas of collaboration include promoting demonstration projects for hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles and exploring opportunities for joint research in the field of hydrogen-based mobility, a joint press statement said.

Hyundai Motor is expected to provide hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles to SAPTCO as part of the partnership.

KATECH is expected to explore further opportunities for collaboration in R&D and APQ will secure a hydrogen supply in Saudi Arabia for the partnership.

In 2020, Hyundai exported its ELEC CITY Fuel Cell buses to the Kingdom, followed by XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy duty truck in 2021.

Previously, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Hyundai signed a joint venture agreement to establish a highly automated vehicle manufacturing plant at an investment of more than $500 million in the Kingdom.

(Writing by SA Kader; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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