Van Pool requests 40 Ballad fuel-cell engines for buses in Germany

Ballad Power Systems (Ballad) has received a letter of intent from original equipment manufacturer partner Van Hool, for 40 FCveloCity-HD 85-kilowatt fuel cell engines to power buses in Germany under the first Joint Initiative For Hydrogen Vehicles Across Europe (JIVE) program. These projects aim to commercialise fuel cell electric buses, reduce costs and support the development of hydrogen refuelling stations. Van Hool plans to deploy 30 of these buses with the Regionalverkehr Köln transit agency in
March 6, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

Ballad Power Systems (Ballad) has received a letter of intent from original equipment manufacturer partner Van Hool, for 40 FCveloCity-HD 85-kilowatt fuel cell engines to power buses in Germany under the first Joint Initiative For Hydrogen Vehicles Across Europe (JIVE) program. These projects aim to commercialise fuel cell electric buses, reduce costs and support the development of hydrogen refuelling stations.

Van Hool plans to deploy 30 of these buses with the Regionalverkehr Köln transit agency in Cologne. It also intends to run the other 10 models with Wsw mobil transit agency in Wuppertal, with deliveries expected to begin in 2019.

JIVE programs are supported by grants valued €57m (£50m) from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. The first initiative targets deployment of 139 fuel cell buses in nine locations while the second one aims to launch 152 models in 14 locations.

The results of these schemes are expected to demonstrate the technical readiness of fuel cell buses to operators and the economic viability of hydrogen as a zero-emission fuel to policy makers.

Rob Campbell, Ballard chief commercial officer, said: "There is momentum in the growing global deployments of fuel cell technology for heavy duty transportation applications. Where transit buses and other heavy vehicles are typically characterized by high utilization rates together with the need for rapid refueling, fuel cell electric platforms are an especially attractive zero-emission alternative. We are very pleased with this progress and expect to begin work soon with Van Hool in fulfilling initial buses under the JIVE I program, in addition to the engines we announced last September for use in Van Hool tram-buses planned for deployment in Pau, France."

Related Content

  • Moscow opts for mobile NFC ticketing
    January 22, 2016
    Mobile phone subscribers in Moscow will soon be able to enjoy the benefits of the city’s new mobile ticketing program. Digital security specialist Gemalto is supplying Russian mobile network operators MegaFon and VimpelCom with its UpTeq Multi-Tenant NFC SIM cards, which can be used with NFC smartphones.
    Read More
  • Magtec provides electric motor for Greenwich bin lorry trial
    June 29, 2018
    UK technology firm Magtec has installed an electric motor into a refuse collection vehicle in a bid to improve air quality in the borough of Greenwich. The upgrade is expected to extend the vehicle’s life by 14 years and save up to £300,000 compared to a Euro 5 or diesel model. Greenwich council’s prototype electric refuse collection vehicle (eRCV) is now being trialled alongside its fleet to make a case for repowering heavy commercial vehicles.
    Read More
  • Anywhere card delivers prepaid contactless ticketing
    January 25, 2012
    David Crawford investigates a far reaching initiative in integrated travel. The Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO), an operator of high speed commuter rail in the north eastern US, is not one of the world's best known transit providers. Its 13 stations along a single east-west route (three of them interchanges with other regional commuter lines) handle 40,000 passengers a day, travelling to and from Philadelphia, the US' fifth most populous city.
    Read More
  • Europe's electronic toll service closer to operational reality
    November 7, 2012
    After much debate and delay, a unifying European Electronic Toll Service is now finally on the horizon, says ASFiNAG’s Klaus Schierhackl. Here, he talks with Jason Barnes about what that might mean. Aworkable European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) which will allow truck drivers to travel across the continent and pay tolls using a single account and OnBoard Unit (OBU) was originally timetabled to be in place and operating by October of this year. A lack of urgency from some of the stakeholders involved in t
    Read More

Highlighted Content