Saudi Arabia on Thursday launched its first hydrogen-powered bus, in a new milestone towards environmental sustainability.
The Governor of Al-Ahsa, Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr, officially inaugurated the trial of the Kingdom’s first hydrogen-powered bus, in the presence of the Saudi Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and the Acting President of Transport General Authority (TGA), Rumaih Al-Rumaih, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
First Hydrogen-powered Bus
The new hydrogen-powered bus has the capability of traveling up to 635 kilometer on a single charge, accommodating up to 45 passengers. It will link Dammam city to Al-Ahsa Governorate.
#SaudiTGA has launched the Kingdom’s first hydrogen-powered bus as part of a pilot project for intercity transportation in Al-Ahsa Governorate. This initiative aims to provide a secure and sustainable travel experience while contributing to environmental preservation and reducing… pic.twitter.com/L48zQcRGrW
— الهيئة العامة للنقل | TGA (@Saudi_TGA) December 5, 2024
During the inauguration ceremony, Prince Saud bin Talal viewed a presentation explaining how hydrogen-powered buses operate, their fueling mechanisms, their safety level, and their contribution to cutting carbon emissions. After that, he embarked on a bus tour around Al-Ahsa.
Supporting Environmental Sustainability
The inauguration of the first hydrogen-powered bus in Saudi Arabia is a major stride towards achieving the objectives of Vision 2030, which prioritizes environmental sustainability and harnessing environment-friendly technologies, according to Prince Saudi bin Talal.
Moreover, he expressed his excitement about Al-Ahsa being the springboard for these pioneering initiatives that contribute to enhancing the quality of life and providing modern, safe and innovative transportation services for Al-Ahsa residents.
TGA’s Innovative Projects
On this occasion, the Acting President of the TGA said that this trial is part of the TGA‘s efforts to support innovation and adopt sustainable transportation that contribute to cutting carbon emissions, in line with Saudi Arabia’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy.
Al-Rumaih underscored TGA’s commitment to collaborating with partners from the public and private sectors to boost the use of cutting-edge technologies and develop the transport sector, enhancing the Kingdom’s regional and international competitiveness.
The hydrogen-powered bus is part of the TGA’s innovative projects to develop transportation services in the Kingdom. These projects include the first hydrogen-powered train in the MENA region, operated by SAR, and the first hydrogen-powered taxi in Jeddah.
