Canada gets first fuel cell bus for 2010 Winter Olympics fleet

NEWS ROAD VEHICLES Editorial office: Elsevier Ltd The Boulevard, Langford Lane Kidlington Oxford OX5 1GB United Kingdom Tel:+44 (0)1865 843239 Fax: +44 (0)1865 843971 Website: www.fuelcellsbulletin.com Editor: Steve Barrett E-mail: [email protected] Publisher: Laurence Zipson E-mail: [email protected] Production Support Manager: Lin Lucas E-mail: [email protected] Subscription Information An annual subscription to Fuel Cells Bulletin includes 12 printed issues and online access for up to 5 users. Prices: 1112 for all European countries & Iran US$1247 for all countries except Europe and Japan ¥147 800 for Japan (Prices valid until 31 December 2009) To subscribe send payment to the address above. Tel: +44 (0)1865 843687, Fax: +44 (0)1865 834971 Email: [email protected] or via www.fuelcellsbulletin.com. Subscriptions run for 12 months, from the date payment is received. Periodicals postage is paid at Rahway, NJ 07065, USA. Postmaster send all USA address corrections to: Fuel Cells Bulletin, 365 Blair Road, Avenel, NJ 07001, USA Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Global Rights Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK; phone: +44 1865 843830, fax: +44 1865 853333, email: [email protected]. You may also contact Global Rights directly through Elsevier’s home page (www.elsevier.com), selecting first ‘Support & contact’, then ‘Copyright & permission’. In the USA, users may clear permissions and make payments through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA; phone: +1 978 750 8400, fax: +1 978 750 4744, and in the UK through the Copyright Licensing Agency Rapid Clearance Service (CLARCS), 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP, UK; phone: +44 (0)20 7631 5555; fax: +44 (0)20 7631 5500. Other countries may have a local reprographic rights agency for payments. Derivative Works Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the Publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the Publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage Permission of the Publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this journal, including any article or part of an article. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the Publisher. Address permissions requests to: Elsevier Science Global Rights Department, at the mail, fax and email addresses noted above. Notice No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher for any injury and/ or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value of such product or of the claims made of it by its manufacturer.

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Fuel Cells Bulletin

GM’s Gen 2 fuel cell system cuts size, weight, cost

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he second-generation hydrogen fuel cell system in development at General Motors is half the size, 100 kg (220 lb) lighter, and uses less than half the precious metal of the current generation, presently being used in the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell car. The fuel cell powertrain – designed with volume production in mind – can be packaged under the hood in about the same space as a four-cylinder engine. It contains GM’s fifthgeneration PEM fuel cell stack, and could be commercialized in the 2015 timeframe. ‘The improvements the team has been able to achieve are remarkable,’ says Charles Freese, executive director of GM Fuel Cell Activities. ‘Hardware mechanization has been dramatically simplified, which will help reduce cost, simplify manufacturing, and improve durability.’ ‘GM has invested more than $1.5 billion in fuel cell technology, and we are committed to continuing to invest, but we no longer can go it alone,’ continues Freese. ‘As we approach a costly part of the program, we will require government and industry partnerships to install a hydrogen infrastructure, and help create a customer pull for the products.’ The Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell carries about 4.2 kg of compressed hydrogen onboard, enough for about 168 miles (270 km) before a 5–7 min refill is required. Regenerative braking extends the driving range.

GM/Chevrolet’s Project Driveway: www.chevrolet.com/ experience/fuel-solutions/fuel-cell/

Canada gets first fuel cell bus for 2010 Winter Olympics fleet

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he first bus in what will become the world’s largest hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet has been delivered in Vancouver, British Columbia. The 20 fuel cell buses will be in operation as part of the BC Transit fleet in Whistler during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and beyond. The development of a hydrogen bus fleet is part of BC’s commitment to fuel cell technologies, and the Hydrogen Highway as part of

the province’s overall plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 33% by 2020. The Hydrogen Highway is a government-industry initiative seeking to accelerate the demonstration and commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies from BC to California. Total funding for the hydrogen fuel cell bus project, covering capital and operating costs to March 2014, is C$89.5 million (US$84 million), almost equally split between the federal government of Canada, the Province and BC Transit. BC Transit’s fuel cell buses will begin regular revenue service in Whistler this November. The low-floor buses – powered by Ballard Power Systems’ FCvelocity™-HD6 heavy-duty fuel cell module – will have a range of 450–500 km (280–310 miles), and a top speed of 90 km/h (56 mph). The hydrogen fueling station – which is both a new transit depot and a fueling depot – is under construction in Whistler, and also scheduled to begin operations in November. The ultimate goal of the project is to demonstrate for the first time the integration of hydrogen fuel cell buses into the regular service of an urban transit system, and to monitor the fleet’s operations, maintenance and fueling over a sustained period. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Demonstration Fleet: www.bctransit.com/fuelcell Hydrogen Highway: www.hydrogenhighway.ca Ballard Power Systems: www.ballard.com

Hydrogenics fuel cells for Vision trucks

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anadian-based Hydrogenics has received a contract to provide its HyPM™ 16 PEM fuel cell modules for use in zero-emission, short-haul trucks being developed by Vision Industries of California. Vision’s Tyrano™ truck is thought to be the world’s first plug-in electric/hydrogen fuel cell powered heavy duty Class 8 vehicle. The contract calls for the Hydrogenics HyPM fuel modules to be delivered in two stages. The initial units will be used to complete testing and demonstrate the vehicles in and around the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach. Second stage deliveries will be dependent on purchase orders for the trucks being received by Vision. With the Los Angeles basin heavily polluted by commercial trucking operations, the Ports have implemented a Clean Truck Program to replace older, inefficient, traditional means of

November 2009