Hyundai Rotem’s hydrogen tram exports to Egypt hinge on commercialization in Daejeon and Ulsan

[Financial News] Hyundai Rotem is seeking to enter Egypt’s hydrogen-powered tram market. As the Egyptian government shows interest in the results of commercialization in Korea, hydrogen-powered tram projects underway in Daejeon and Ulsan are expected to be a major factor in future export growth.
Hyundai Rotem said on the 8th that it had signed an MOU with Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels at the Han-Egypt Business Roundtable held on the 7th, to cooperate on building a hydrogen-powered tram system in the New Administrative Capital.
Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, being built to accommodate at least 6 million people, plans to introduce hydrogen-powered trams as a form of public transit. The plan is to operate 44 tram trainsets along a 28-kilometer route. Hydrogen-powered trams take in air and filter out fine dust, emitting only water and no carbon. Because they generate electricity using hydrogen fuel cells, they also do not need separate overhead power lines. That is why the Egyptian government has taken notice.
The MOU brings Hyundai Rotem a step closer to the opportunity to supply hydrogen-powered trams that will run through Egypt’s New Administrative Capital. If the supply is confirmed, the company could gain an advantage by getting ahead of demand for such systems in the global rail market. Hyundai Rotem plans to further accelerate its overseas expansion with integrated solutions spanning the entire hydrogen value chain of HTWO, Hyundai Motor Group’s hydrogen brand and business platform.
Observers say whether hydrogen-powered trams will be supplied to Egypt depends on their commercialization in Korea. Hyundai Rotem is pursuing construction of a hydrogen-powered tram line in Ulsan, targeting an opening in 2029, along the 10.85-kilometer stretch from Taehwagang Station to Sinbok Intersection. In Daejeon, plans are underway to introduce 34 hydrogen-powered tram trainsets on a 38.8-kilometer route that will be the world’s longest catenary-free line.
At the business roundtable, Egypt’s Minister of Transport Kamel Al-Wazir emphasized, “Hyundai Rotem’s hydrogen-powered tram is a next-generation mode of transport that meets the needs of Egypt’s New Administrative Capital as it seeks to introduce eco-friendly transport infrastructure.” He added, “The fact that it has already entered the commercialization phase in Korea and demonstrated its reliability has also been an important factor in our cooperation.”
[email protected] Kim Yun-ho, Jeong Won-il Reporter