Yet the start-up sound that escapes Victoria’s first fuel cell car could’ve come straight from outer space.

“It sounds like the space ship they have on the Jetsons,” said BC Transit fleet engineer Ben Herlinger, one of about a dozen local BC Transit staff trained to drive the state-of-the-art prototype.

The high-pitch whir subsides as an unusual dashboard gauge moves from the “start up” to the “run” position.

An uncanny silence is all that remains for the drive ahead.

The sound of silence no longer registers with many of the vehicle’s Ford-trained BC Transit drivers, as they have been cruising the Capital Region in the demonstration car — one of 30 identical models running worldwide — for over a year.

In doing so, each became part of an exclusive sampling of people internationally who have driven the lastest innovation in environmentally friendly transportation — hydrogen powered vehicles.

“It’s very much like a regular car,” said Herlinger. “It’s got quite a good pickup. As good or better as a regular [Ford] Focus.”

With the vehicle’s noteworthy features hiding beneath the modest frame of a four-door sedan, it was no suprise when Herlinger began a briefing on BC Transit’s prize possession by popping the trunk.

Limited trunk space was explained when Herlinger tugged on a carpeted panel at the rear displaying a large, heavy-duty cylinder lying on its side.

That’s the fuel tank that stores hydrogen gas, he said, noting that a full tank holds about four kilograms of compressed gas.

The much smaller tank to the left, he added, holds compressed air — the second ingredient in the recipe for electricity.

Moving on, Herlinger stopped at the drivers seat.

“The fuel cell made by Ballard is under the front seat,” he said, noting that the hybrid fuel cell system also incorporates a high-voltage battery.

For the most part, the extraordinary car is indistinguishable from any other Ford Focus, aside from the fuel cell advertising plastered on its exterior that begs onlookers’ attention.

With air conditioning, power steering, and power windows, the car is a comfortable cruising choice for BC Transit employees.

Each morning, they retrieve it from BC Transit’s Langford facility and park it at head office to be used for car pooling throughout the day.

On the highway, the car keeps up with traffic, and can even reach speeds up to 130 km/hour (though Herlinger contends he’s never pushed it past 90).

And with the negligible environmental impacts of the drive, it’s no wonder BC Transit bigwigs have pursued the car with an environmental conscience.

“When we’re running our fuel cell car, there’s nothing coming out of the tail pipe but water vapour,” explained Ron Harmer, BC Transit vice-president of technical services.

BC Transit has joined forces with the province and the Vancouver Fuel Cell Vehicle Program, supported by Natural Resources Canada, to do what VFCVP manager Bruce Rothwell calls a “technical evaluation of the product.”

BC Transit is slated to run the car until March 2008, and in this test phase, the more miles they put on the better.

And so far, so good.

“It’s been pretty trouble free so far,” said Herlinger. “It’s a pretty neat piece of equipment.”

http://fuelcellsworks.com/