Ballard-powered fuel cell electric buses for the US

New Flyer Industries Canada ULC and New Flyer of America Inc. (New Flyer) fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs), powered by Ballard FCveloCity®-HD 85 kilowatt (kw) modules, have completed testing.

The testing of the modules was carried out at The Altoona Bus Research and Testing Centre under a programme established by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

“This is an exciting development for New Flyer and we are very pleased to be working with this dynamic, leading bus original equipment manufacturers (OEM),” said Rob Campbell, Ballard’s Chief Commercial Officer.

“Ballard provides zero-emission, high performance fuel cell modules to power FCEBs within the rapidly-growing transit segment,” said Campbell.

New Flyer’s 40-foot and 60-foot FCEBs, using Ballard’s FCveloCity®-HD 85kW module, are commercially available for sale. Both modules will also be eligible for California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP).

HVIP is part of California Climate Investments, a state-wide programme putting billions of cap-and-trade dollars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment.

“New Flyer, along with many major automotive manufacturers, strongly believes that hydrogen and fuel cell technology remains a viable complementary electric propulsion option for clean cities with extended range operations.” Said Chris Stoddart, President of New Flyer.

“We celebrate this important milestone in deploying zero-emission bus propulsion technology on a prove, safe, and reliable bus platform,” said Stoddart.

New Flyer’s Xcelsior FCEBs offer multiple advantages to battery-electric alternatives, including: extended range in excess of 260 miles and fuelling in less than ten minutes. FCEBs, powered by Ballard’s FCvelo-City®-HD module, offer a one-to-one replacement for diesel and CNG buses.