Hyundai Motor has announced a partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to supply 15 Elec City electric buses to Marrakech, Morocco. The buses, which are the first domestically produced electric buses to reach Morocco, will run on city routes serving Marrakech's main tourist districts. This project is part of an official development assistance (ODA) program that KOICA is pursuing with Marrakech to support the city's low-carbon transition.
The delivery of the electric buses is expected to help meet public transport demand and reduce urban air pollution in Marrakech. The project also includes the provision of fast chargers and related equipment, as well as local training and technical cooperation to strengthen capacity for operating and maintaining the vehicles. This initiative aligns with Morocco's low-carbon push across the energy, industrial, and transport sectors, with the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to 45.5% from its business-as-usual projection by 2030.
The electric buses will be produced by Hyundai Motor and will be handed over to Marrakech in the first quarter of 2027, once all 15 vehicles have been completed and shipped. The project was celebrated with a handover ceremony at Hyundai Motor's Jeonju plant in Wanju County, North Jeolla Province, which was attended by officials from KOICA, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco, and Hyundai Motor. The ceremony marked the completion of the first two buses.
The partnership between Hyundai Motor and KOICA is seen as a significant step towards expanding eco-friendly commercial mobility abroad. Park Chul-yeon, head of Hyundai's Global Commercial Vehicle and LCV Division, described the project as a case that broadens the potential for electrifying public transport with electric buses. The company plans to tailor future offerings to regional operating conditions and demand.
The project has been welcomed by Moroccan officials, who see it as a contribution to the country's carbon neutrality goal and an improvement in transport convenience for residents. Chafik Rachadi, Morocco's ambassador to Korea, pointed to the symbolic weight of introducing the buses in Marrakech, host city of the 22nd UN Climate Change Conference (COP22) and one of Morocco's leading economic and cultural centers.
KOICA's director of Regional Programs Department II, Do Young-a, expressed hope that the project would spread eco-friendly public transport in Morocco and support sustainable urban development. The agency expects the Elec City supply to open the way for Korean-made electric vehicles to move more actively into Morocco and the wider North Africa region.
The introduction of the electric buses is also seen as a new starting point for cooperation between Korea and Morocco on sustainable urban mobility. The project is part of a broader effort to support Morocco's low-carbon transition and improve the quality of life for residents in Marrakech.
Key points
- The partnership between Hyundai Motor and KOICA aims to reduce pollution and modernize public transport in Marrakech.
- The project includes the provision of 15 Elec City electric buses, fast chargers, and related equipment.
- The initiative aligns with Morocco's low-carbon push and goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to 45.5% by 2030.
