Hyundai Motor has completed its first commercial delivery of zero‑emission Elec City Town electric buses to Tanegashima‑Yakushima Kotsu Co., a subsidiary of Japan’s Iwasaki Group, reinforcing its drive toward sustainable public transit.
The South Korean automaker handed over five Elec City Town buses in a ceremony on Yakushima Island, attended by Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chairman Chang Jae‑hoon, Hyundai Mobility Japan head Toshiyuki Shimegi and Iwasaki Group CEO Yoshitaro Iwasaki.
“Yakushima is a special place where the value of sustainable mobility shines,” Chang said, while Iwasaki noted the buses would “set a new standard for local transportation” by balancing environmental preservation with economic revitalization.
Each medium‑sized, low‑floor Elec City Town bus runs on a 145 kWh battery paired with a high‑efficiency electric motor, offering silent, emissions‑free operation suited to the island’s ecologically sensitive zones. Yakushima, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, provides an ideal setting for this green technology.
Hyundai first signed a letter of intent with the Iwasaki Group in July 2024, and on April 20, 2025, the company formalized a cooperation agreement with local authorities to promote broader EV adoption—including using the buses’ vehicle‑to‑home (V2H) capability to supply emergency power during natural disasters.
The landmark delivery not only expands Hyundai’s footprint in Japan but also serves as a benchmark for clean, resilient and community‑integrated mobility solutions, supporting Kagoshima Prefecture’s goal of becoming a zero‑emission island by 2050.
