Hyundai partners with Oman on hydrogen bus and EV charging

Hyundai Motor Group formalized a cooperation agreement with Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) on September 4. The pact, signed at the Gulf Green Mobility Forum, ties the automaker to Oman's Vision 2040 agenda for sustainable urban development and lower-emission transport.

Hokeun Chung, Hyundai Motor Group's executive vice president and head of its future strategy division, stated the company's commitment. "We are delighted to establish strategic partnerships with MTCIT today," Chung said. "HMG is committed to helping turn Oman's Vision 2040 ambitions into tangible outcomes through collaboration in smart cities and future mobility."

The ministry-level memorandum creates a framework for joint work on future city planning, electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell mobility. The arrangement has an initial one-year term and will renew automatically unless either party changes it.

Hydrogen bus trial in Muscat

A key initial project involves public transport. State-owned bus operator Mwasalat has agreed to introduce Hyundai's ELEC CITY Fuel Cell bus on routes in Muscat. This marks the first hydrogen-powered city bus service in Oman.

The 24-seat vehicle is scheduled to operate from the third quarter of 2026 to the third quarter of 2027. The trial will be integrated into regular passenger operations rather than being a closed demonstration. Mwasalat will evaluate the bus's performance on uptime, route efficiency, and emissions benefits compared to conventional diesel fleets.

EV charging infrastructure test

Hyundai also signed separate charging-related agreements with OOMCO, the retail fuel and distribution arm of OQ, and EVO, OOMCO's electric vehicle charging business. The partners plan to install a 240kW direct-current fast charger made by Hyundai Kefico at an Oman Oil filling station in Halban, outside Muscat.

That charging site will be tested between the third and fourth quarters of 2026. The testing will include periods of extreme heat to assess the unit's technical performance, usage levels, and business potential.

Evaluation and future scale-up

The results from both the hydrogen bus trial and the fast-charger test will be measured against agreed-upon targets. These evaluations will determine whether the programs should be scaled up into wider deployment and procurement within Oman. The partnership supports Oman's push to cut transport emissions and build smarter urban systems, including major developments like Sultan Haitham City.