News

Wisdom Motor Brings First Zero-Emission Bus To GCC

The company is supporting the Abu Dhabi International Transport Centre’s Green Bus Assessment program that forms part of the UAE’s sustainability agenda.

Published

2 years ago

November 30, 2023

Nour Nasir

Wisdom Motor

Wisdom Motor, a Chinese technology company that designs zero-emission commercial vehicles, has announced a cooperation with the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) in Abu Dhabi.

The partnership aims to provide new green mobility solutions, the first of which, a 12-meter Hydrogen City Bus, uses fuel cells to achieve a range of 500 km, while reducing CO2 by 105 kg per 100 km of travel.

Mr. Cliff Zhang, Chairman of the board of directors of Wisdom Motor, commented: “We are proud to partner with the ITC to bring our cutting-edge technology and customized hydrogen-powered vehicles to Abu Dhabi. This cooperation not only reinforces the quality and competitiveness of Wisdom Motor but is also a significant milestone for our company in entering the GCC market”.

So far, Wisdom Motor’s zero-emission commercial vehicles have achieved several milestones and continue to expand globally. The company builds its highly customizable vehicles at a production hub of over 480,000 sq m in Fujian, China.

Wisdom Motor aims to disrupt the competitive commercial sector with short turnarounds and custom engineering, including state-of-the-art monocoque structures and in-house-made composite materials. So far, the company has won contracts in the UK, Germany, France, the Nordics, Australia, Japan and Korea.

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Near its headquarters in Hong Kong, a fleet of Wisdom Motor tri-axle, hydrogen-powered double-decker buses are already in service, acting as proof-of-concept for long-distance commercial transportation using hydrogen.

Hydrogen offers several advantages over conventional fuels: It is lightweight, nearly three times the energy density of diesel per unit of mass, and produces zero emissions. In each operating market, Wisdom Motor works with partners to develop the infrastructure needed to make hydrogen fuel a viable solution.

News

AltoVolo Opens Orders For Limited Edition Sigma eVTOLs

Early buyers can now reserve build slots for AltoVolo’s 500-mile hybrid aircraft through a new online configurator.

Published

6 days ago

November 1, 2025

Nour Nasir

AltoVolo

AltoVolo has started taking pre-orders for its first electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the Sigma, moving the startup closer to commercial rollout. Customers can now secure a build slot with a £860 deposit and customize every detail online — from paintwork to seatbelt stitching. It’s the first configurator of its kind for a civilian eVTOL, mirroring how luxury car brands let clients tailor performance models before production.

The Sigma runs on a hybrid-electric tilting jet system built for long range and low noise. It can travel up to 500 miles at a 220-mph cruise, and is over 80% quieter than a helicopter. The three-seater weighs just 980kg and can maintain stable flight even if one jet fails. Safety systems include triple-redundant controls, thrust-vectoring stability and a ballistic parachute.

“We will be delivering an ultra-refined hybrid electric aircraft,” said founder and CEO Will Wood. “We believe there are thousands of customers for this type of cutting-edge technology”.

The first 100 units will come with exclusive materials and finishes. AltoVolo is also setting up a global service and maintenance network, with early planning for overhaul schedules already underway. The company’s focus on ownership experience echoes its ambition to anchor itself alongside established aviation brands rather than pure tech ventures.

To help new owners train, the company has built a full-scale simulator that replicates the Sigma cockpit in carbon fiber and leather. Pilots can log time toward a license using the system, aligned with the new US MOSAIC rules that ease certification for powered-lift aircraft. Certification work in Europe and the UK continues in parallel, signaling growing international alignment around light sport and eVTOL regulation.

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Noise inside the cabin has become another design focus. Engineers are refining internal vibration levels and developing a responsive soundscape that shifts with each jet’s power load — part feedback, part theatre.

Urban air mobility projects across the Gulf and elsewhere are pushing regulators and manufacturers to meet in the middle. Dubai, Riyadh and Doha have each outlined plans for air taxi corridors this decade. AltoVolo’s hybrid Sigma, sitting between electric promise and aviation realism, looks built for that middle ground.