Image: Royal Commission for Jubail and YanbuThe Japanese automaker and its Saudi partner operated a hydrogen fuel cell bus in Yanbu (Medina Province) during the final days of the Yanbu Flower Festival, from 19 to 23 April. They ran the FCEV on a public route of approximately 7 to 10 kilometres, starting at the Corp Hotel on the Yanbu Waterfront and ending at the Yanbu Flower Festival at Events Garden, with a stop at Dana Mall.Toyota and ALJ Motors used CaetanoBus’s H2.City Gold low-floor hydrogen bus for their latest initiative. The Portuguese bus manufacturer uses a 60 kW variant of Toyota’s second-generation fuel cell stack in this model and offers it in a 10.7-metre version in right-hand-drive markets and a 12-metre version in left-hand-drive markets. The former accommodates up to 64 passengers and the latter up to 95 passengers.CaetanoBus places the fuel cell stack, along with five hydrogen tanks with a total capacity of 37.5 kg, on the roof. The tanks can be refuelled in nine minutes at a 350-bar refuelling station. A 44 kWh lithium-titanium-oxide (LTO) battery pack stores the electricity generated by the fuel cell system and powers the drive unit, a 180 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor sourced from Siemens. The H2.City Gold has a range of up to 400 kilometres.Toyota and ALJ Motors tested the CaetanoBus H2.City Gold earlier as well. They completed the first phase, focused on feasibility and initial testing, in September 2025. In the second phase, conducted in January 2026, the companies moved from pilot testing to scaling, operational expansion, and broader applications.Commenting on the recent development, Nobuyuki Takemura, Chief Representative of the Middle East Regional Office, Toyota, said: “This trial marks an important step for Toyota in demonstrating the potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology for public transportation in Saudi Arabia. By introducing hydrogen buses in a live public setting, we aim to build awareness, gain real-world operational insights, and contribute to the ongoing discussion on zero-emission mobility solutions suited to local needs.”alj.com, spa.gov.sa (in Arabic)