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GWM and SP government seal innovative alliance to boost the era of hydrogen in transport!

Written by Valdemar Medeiros
Published 26/04/2023 às 10:52
GWM and the Government of SP closed a new partnership focused on the production of hydrogen in transport. The objective is to produce green hydrogen, generated through renewable energy.
Photo: Disclosure/ GWM

GWM and the Government of SP closed a new partnership focused on the production of hydrogen in transport. The objective is to produce green hydrogen, generated through renewable energy.

The government of SP recently closed an agreement with the Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors Brazil (GWM) for the joint development of projects for the introduction of fleets with vehicles powered by hydrogen in the state.

The commitment, which was implemented by Invest SP, the SP government's investment promotion agency, was closed during the visit of Governor Tarcísio de Freitas to the GWM plant in the Metropolitan Region of Piracicaba.

GWM and Government of SP should study logistics route for hydrogen vehicles

During the occasion, the government highlighted that the state of São Paulo seeks leadership in the process of energy transition, focusing its efforts on ethanol for the generation of green hydrogen that can supply fleets.

São Paulo has great potential in ethanol, which is the bridge to having vehicles powered by hydrogen and which will be much more viable in terms of cargo. According to information, the general objective is to have more ethanol plants in the state, also generating green hydrogen through incentives.

The agreement provides that the GWM and the Government of SP jointly study the development of a logistics route for hydrogen vehicles and identify partners for the generation and supply of green fuel from renewable sources, such as ethanol.

On another front, the government is also committed to engaging state universities in research and development of decarbonisation of transport chains. According to the director of Institutional Affairs at GWM Brasil, Ricardo Bastos, the company believes that Brazil will continue to strengthen itself as a global reference in sustainable energy generation. 

GWM invests BRL 10 billion in its factory in Iracemápolis

According to the automaker's executive, GWM plans to contribute to the development of the best electrification technologies in Brazil using the industrial leadership of the state of São Paulo.

The company is the largest fully privately owned Chinese automaker and is making more than BRL 10 billion in investments to transform the former Mercedes-Benz factory in Iracemápolis into a center for hybrid and electric vehicles for all of Latin America starting in 2024 .

The new vehicle production complex will have an annual capacity of 100 units and will create more than 2 new direct jobs for residents of the region by 2025.

It is important to mention that, recently, another automaker announced a project involving green hydrogen. This is the Japanese Toyota, which in partnership is also carrying out studies to produce green hydrogen from ethanol to fuel electric cars.

Both the projects mentioned and others around the world are mainly focused on scaling up the production of green hydrogen, that is, produced with clean sources. The first step is to expand production and make the idea economically viable.

Company arrived in Brazil in 2021

Great Wall Motors has a long-standing connection with Brazil, trying to close an operation here since 2012.

The company's objective was to start selling its cars in partnership with the Caoa group. However, at the time the plan did not stick and delayed its official arrival for many years. Fast forward to August 2021, and the company finally decided to buy an old Mercedes-Benz factory in the interior of São Paulo, in Iracemápolis.

Shortly afterwards, an investment worth BRL 10 billion in the country was announced, including plans to produce electric cars here. In the first phase, which is scheduled from 2023 to 2025, the automaker will inject BRL 4 billion to adapt the factory and produce the first models on Brazilian soil.

Valdemar Medeiros

Journalist in training, specialist in creating content with a focus on SEO actions. Writes about the Automotive Industry, Renewable Energy and Science and Technology

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