Hyundai Motor contributes to the 'pollution-free island transition' of Yakushima, Japan, known as the 'Alps of the Sea.' It establishes a new model for eco-friendly mobility solutions where the natural environment meets advanced technology, coexisting with the local community.
On the 21st, Hyundai Motor held a 'Electricity Town delivery ceremony' with the Iwasaki Group at the Iwasaki Hotel in Yakushima and supplied five units of the pollution-free electric bus, the Electricity Town, to the Tanegashima and Yakushima Transportation Company operated by the Iwasaki Group. The Iwasaki Group is a corporation engaged in transportation and tourism services, primarily in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Previously, Hyundai Motor agreed to supply the Electricity Town with the Iwasaki Group last July, indicating its entry into the Japanese commercial electrification market following passenger vehicles.
About 80 officials from both companies and Yakushima attended the delivery ceremony, including Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon, Hyundai Motor Japan (HMJ) President Shimegi Toshiyuki, Iwasaki Group President Iwasaki Yoshitaro, and Yakushima Town Mayor Araki Koji. Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon noted, 'A special environment like Yakushima is precisely where mobility solutions can demonstrate their true value,' and expressed a desire to showcase a model of coexistence between environment, technology, and the local community to the world.
Iwasaki Yoshitaro, president of the Iwasaki Group, said, 'We want to establish the Electricity Town as a new standard for local transportation, achieving the coexistence of environmental conservation and revitalization of the local economy.'
Yakushima is an island located at the southwestern end of the Japanese archipelago, covering an area of 504 square kilometers (about one-quarter the size of Jeju Island). It boasts breathtaking natural landscapes, earning the title 'Alps of the Sea.' Being recognized as a world-class eco-tourism destination, it is a region where curbing pollution emissions is essential for nature conservation. Kagoshima Prefecture, to which Yakushima belongs, aims for 'carbon neutrality by 2050' and plans to transform Yakushima into a 'Zero Emission Island' by converting all vehicles on the island to pollution-free vehicles, such as electric cars.
Hyundai Motor expects that supplying the Electricity Town will support Yakushima's realization of carbon neutrality and further become a 'mobility solution where environment, technology, and local community coexist.' By reducing the number of internal combustion engine vehicles, it can reduce the expense of transporting fossil fuels to the island and contribute to strengthening the foundation for local economic independence by ensuring electricity produced locally is consumed locally.
Additionally, Hyundai Motor believes that the Electricity Town's V2H function (Vehicle to Home, a feature that uses electric vehicles as a power source for homes) will be significantly helpful in resolving blackouts during emergencies such as natural disasters.
In connection with this, Hyundai Motor signed a 'Comprehensive Cooperative Agreement for Utilizing Electric Vehicles in Yakushima' with Yakushima the day before the delivery ceremony on the 20th, detailing plans to supply power to shelters and medical facilities using the Electricity Town's V2H function in the face of disasters unique to island areas, such as typhoons and heavy rain. Through this agreement, Hyundai Motor plans to additionally establish rapid charging facilities for both residents and tourists, as well as route buses.
The Electricity Town operating in Yakushima is a medium-sized low-floor electric bus developed for local conditions, measuring 9 meters in length, equipped with a 145 kWh battery and a high-efficiency motor that delivers a maximum output of 160 kW. It is designed to stably operate on mountainous roads within the island region, characterized by steep slopes and sharp curves, with a body posture control device (VDC) standardly installed and optimized charging efficiency and driving range through high-efficiency battery management technology and cooling systems to counter the hot and humid environment of Yakushima.
The Electricity Town is scheduled to operate from June as a route bus connecting Yakushima Airport, Miyano-Ura Port, and the Shiratani Unsuikyo gorge.
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