VANCOUVER and ALTOONA, PA, July 17,
2018 /PRNewswire/ - Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP;
TSX: BLDP) today announced that El Dorado National fuel cell
electric buses (FCEBs), powered by Ballard
FCveloCity®-HD modules, have successfully completed
rigorous testing at The Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center
under a program established by the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA)
(https://www.revgroup.com/news-single/enc-hydrogen-fuel-cell-transit-bus-altoona-testing).
Furthermore, El Dorado National FCEBs are now eligible for a
$300,000 voucher incentive under the
California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive
Project (HVIP). The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and HVIP
are focused on accelerating the purchase of cleaner, more efficient
trucks and buses in California
(https://www.californiahvip.org/eligible-technologies/).
El Dorado National's 40-foot Axess Fuel Cell Electric Bus is now
available for sale with the substantial HVIP incentive in
California, enabling transit
agencies to electrify bus fleets and meet future regulations for
zero-emission transit. These buses offer extended range, exceeding
260 miles, can be quickly refueled with hydrogen and ensure full
route flexibility.
"With these positive results, fuel cell technology will now be a
viable and production-ready technology for transit operators
looking for zero-emission travel," according to Mike Ammann, Vice President of Sales for
El Dorado. "With the ability to
refuel within 20 minutes and a proven transit duty cycle range of
over 200 miles, the Axess FCEV is the only zero-emission transit
bus that can seamlessly integrate into existing transit
fleets."
El Dorado National has extensive experience in manufacturing
reliable transit buses, having produced 20 FCEBs in its
Riverside, California plant, all
powered by Ballard in
collaboration with BAE Systems, under the American Fuel Cell Bus
(AFCB) program. The latest version of El Dorado National's Axess
FCEB offers additional hydrogen storage, thereby extending the
range beyond 300 miles.
Rob Campbell, Ballard Chief Commercial Officer said, "We are
delighted to be working with a leading bus OEM in El Dorado
National. Successful completion of testing at the Altoona facility represents a key milestone
and, together with HVIP eligibility, will unlock the potential for
zero-emission fuel cell buses in California. Transit agencies throughout
the United States can now acquire
Altoona-tested fuel cell buses
powered by Ballard."
There are currently 21 FCEBs in operation with several transit
agencies in California, some with
many years of revenue service. These buses operate on long routes
with demanding duty cycles under extreme weather conditions. This
includes the Coachella Valley, where Sunline Transit currently
operates 8 fuel cell electric buses.
According to Lauren Skiver, CEO
and General Manager of Sunline Transit Agency, "We have put the
systems in place to accurately review the performance, costs,
lifecycle and reliability of our (FCEB) fleet ….. It's not really a
challenge, but we need to treat the fuel cell buses like any other
bus in our fleet. They are not garage queens. The buses need to be
deployed in all conditions …. and they are meeting availability
targets."
Ms. Skiver continued, "Operationally, our hydrogen fleet is just
like our other platforms and is well integrated into our
maintenance program. The total cost per mile is comparable to CNG
buses we have in service."
As cities and new regulations push transit agencies to
accelerate the transition of their fleets to zero-emission
vehicles, FCEBs such as the El Dorado National Axess – powered by
Ballard's
FCveloCity®-HD module – offer an affordable one-to-one
replacement for diesel and CNG buses in California, with no compromise in terms of
service and no road-side infrastructure.
About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems
(NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP) provides clean energy products that
reduce customer costs and risks, and helps customers solve
difficult technical and business challenges in their fuel cell
programs. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements concerning
anticipated product performance, customer benefits and market
demand for our products. These forward-looking statements reflect
Ballard's current expectations as
contemplated under section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. Any such forward-looking statements are based on
Ballard's assumptions relating to
its financial forecasts and expectations regarding its product
development efforts, manufacturing capacity, and market demand.
These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause
Ballard's actual results to be
materially different, including general economic and regulatory
changes, detrimental reliance on third parties, successfully
achieving our business plans and achieving and sustaining
profitability. For a detailed discussion of these and other risk
factors that could affect Ballard's future performance, please refer to
Ballard's most recent Annual
Information Form. Readers should not place undue reliance on
Ballard's forward-looking
statements and Ballard assumes no
obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward
looking statements, other than as required under applicable
legislation.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy securities. The Ballard
Common Shares have not been registered under the United States
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any
other jurisdiction and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an
applicable exemption from registration requirements.
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SOURCE Ballard Power Systems Inc.