HTWO Guangzhou and Kaiwo Group’s jointly developed 8.5-meter hydrogen bus (Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group)
SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Hyundai Motor Group will supply hydrogen fuel-cell buses to Guangzhou as part of a joint initiative with China’s commercial vehicle maker Kaiwo Group, the company said Tuesday, marking a significant expansion of its hydrogen mobility footprint in the world’s largest auto market.
The 8.5-meter hydrogen buses—co-developed by Hyundai’s local fuel-cell subsidiary HTWO Guangzhou and Kaiwo—were selected as a winner in Guangzhou State-owned Bus Group’s “Hydrogen Fuel Cell City Bus Procurement Project.”
Guangzhou plans to purchase 50 hydrogen buses in total, with HTWO Guangzhou and Kaiwo delivering 25 units by the end of this year.
The mid-size buses feature a low-floor design and a customized roof layout to provide more spacious and accessible interiors. Hyundai said the model boasts a 6.1-meter flat-floor interior section and an industry-first rear overhang of less than 1.1 meters, improving maneuverability on congested urban roads.
Powered by a 90 kW hydrogen fuel-cell system, the bus offers higher generation efficiency than internal combustion engines and can run long distances on a five-minute refueling. Its maximum combined driving range reaches 576 kilometers under local testing standards.
HTWO Guangzhou described the contract win as evidence of Hyundai’s growing technological competitiveness in China’s fast-evolving hydrogen sector.
“This outcome shows that HTWO Guangzhou is firmly establishing itself in the Chinese market through superior technology,” a company official said. “Building on the recently strengthened Korea–China relationship, we will expand hydrogen R&D and industrial investment in China and partner with more local companies to support the country’s green development and carbon-neutral goals.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
