Hyundai Motor Completes Historic Delivery of Electric Buses in Japan
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Synopsis
Hyundai Motor has made its first-ever delivery of electric buses in Japan by supplying five units to Iwasaki Group. The delivery ceremony took place in Yakushima, where the company aims to promote sustainable transportation solutions.
Key Takeaways
- Hyundai delivered five electric buses to Iwasaki Group.
- The event marked Hyundai's first electric bus delivery in Japan.
- The buses are designed for the ecologically sensitive Yakushima region.
- Kagoshima Prefecture aims for carbon neutrality by 2050.
- Agreement to support power supply during emergencies.
Seoul, April 21 (NationPress) Hyundai Motor announced on Monday the successful delivery of five electric buses to the transportation division of Japan's Iwasaki Group, representing its inaugural commercial electric bus delivery in the neighboring nation.
The South Korean car manufacturer conducted a delivery ceremony for the Elec City Town buses with Iwasaki Group in Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture. The buses were handed over to Tanegashima-Yakushima Kotsu Co. under the Japanese conglomerate, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
The event saw the participation of approximately 80 attendees, including Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Chang Jae-hoon, Toshiyuki Shimegi, head of Hyundai Mobility Japan Co., and Iwasaki Group President and CEO Yoshitaro Iwasaki.
Chang emphasized the importance of Yakushima's environment for the evaluation of sustainable mobility solutions.
"Yakushima is the kind of unique environment where the true value of mobility solutions can be realized," he stated. "We aspire to showcase a model of harmony between the environment, technology, and the local community."
Iwasaki expressed optimism that the new electric buses would set a modern benchmark for the region's transportation system.
"We aim to establish the Elec City Town as the new norm for local transit while achieving a balance between environmental conservation and the revitalization of the local economy," he remarked.
Hyundai Motor had previously signed a letter of intent with Iwasaki Group in July of the previous year for the provision of the five medium-sized, low-floor Elec City Town electric buses.
Equipped with a 145 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery and a high-efficiency motor, these vehicles are designed to operate effectively within the environmentally sensitive Yakushima region, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site renowned for its ancient cedar forests and diverse flora, as stated by Hyundai Motor.
Kagoshima Prefecture has set an ambitious target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and aims to reshape Yakushima into a zero-emission island by converting its vehicles to electric or other carbon-free options.
On the preceding day, Hyundai Motor signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with the local government to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) on the island. This agreement entails using the vehicle-to-home feature of the Elec City Town to supply power to evacuation centers and medical facilities during emergencies caused by natural disasters.
