Fuel Cell Buses in China to Ease Pollution

Fuel Cell Buses in China to Ease Pollution

"Recognizing that the increasing demand for automobiles in China cannot be satisfied using internal combustion engines, without a significant adverse impact on urban air quality, the Chinese government is focused on sustainable, clean transportation."

- Dennis Campbell, President and CEO of Ballard

Vancouver, British Columbia - July 27, 2004 [SolarAccess.com] Public transportation demands and pollution in China qualified the city of Beijing for three fuel cell powered buses with the Zero-Emission Bus demonstration project. Ballard Power Systems will provide three heavy-duty 205 kW fuel cell engines to DaimlerChrysler for integration into Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses for the project funded by China's Ministry of Science & Technology, the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Development Program. The three buses will operate in Beijing as part of a two-year program set to beginning in late 2005 and continue through 2007.

China is the latest country to benefit from Ballard fuel cells. The company delivered the first fuel cell bus engines for the European Fuel Cell Bus Project in 2003 to support the development of fuel cell technology and to demonstrate the viability of fuel cell power for day-to-day operation of transit buses under specific climatic and topographical conditions. The three buses demonstrated in Beijing will complement the 33 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses equipped with 205 kW heavy-duty Ballard fuel cell engines on the roads of 11 cities worldwide including Perth, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Porto, Reykjavik, Stockholm and Stuttgart. Ballard has also delivered three heavy-duty fuel cell engines to Gillig Corporation for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, bringing the number of buses to be demonstrated and driven on regular routes in daily service to 39.

Zero emissions for public transportation is one way the countries of Europe are trying to change their reliance on fossil fuels. Goals for the project are to introduce fuel cell technology in buses, and educate people in the public transportation industry about the environmental benefits of fuel cells over combustion engines.

"We are proud to extend our reach into China as we assist them in demonstrating the viability of fuel cell power for transit applications," Ballard's President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Campbell said. "Recognizing that the increasing demand for automobiles in China cannot be satisfied using internal combustion engines, without a significant adverse impact on urban air quality, the Chinese government is focused on sustainable, clean transportation."

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