Saudi Aramco has signed five agreements with leading French companies, including an agreement to explore a hydrogen-powered vehicle business with Gaussin. The signing took place at a Ministry of Business event in Jeddah to investigate investment potential for French companies in the Kingdom.
Commenting on the deal with Gaussin, a pioneer in clean and intelligent transport solutions, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said: “It represents an opportunity to promote hydrogen as a low-carbon solution, not just for motorsport, but eventually for mass transportation as well. Such collaboration helps us to advance economic growth in the Kingdom as part of the Namaat industrial investment program and takes us a step closer to our shared vision of a more sustainable future.”
The partnership seeks to build a sophisticated manufacturing plant in the Kingdom for on-road and off-road hydrogen vehicles. The two firms will investigate the potential of establishing a production plant and a hydrogen distribution business in the Middle East.
“It represents an opportunity to promote hydrogen as a low-carbon solution, not just for motorsport”
The two companies also agreed that Aramco’s Advanced Innovation Center (LAB7) will be closely involved in Gaussin’s development of hydrogen-powered vehicles and the development of a remote-controlled/autonomous hydrogen racing truck. LAB7 aims to integrate Aramco’s composite materials into Gaussin’s existing range of products to reduce the weight, energy consumption and cost of these vehicles.
Aramco will also be sponsoring the world’s first hydrogen-fueled racing truck, which has been developed by Gaussin and which will compete in the 2022 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. Aramco’s sponsorship of Gaussin’s participation in the Dakar Rally continues to promote low-emission transportation technology developments.
Aramco’s Advanced Innovation Center (LAB7) will be closely involved in Gaussin’s development of hydrogen-powered vehicles
Further MoU’s
Aramco’s research and development in carbon capture technologies, artificial intelligence, and local manufacturing are among the other collaborations revealed. Among the MoUs are:
Air Liquide: Non-binding MoU to assess low carbon hydrogen and ammonia production, logistics, and back cracking technology. An additional non-binding MoU will evaluate carbon capture and sequestration opportunities.
Alteia: Non-binding MoU to develop advanced artificial intelligence-driven geospatial imagery interpretation and processing capabilities in the Kingdom.
Axens: Non-binding MoU to investigate the local manufacturing and maintenance services of furnaces and fired heaters.