Sales Boost for Large Fuel-cell Truck Deployment in China

Ballard Power Systems Inc., a US Nasdaq stock exchange sweetheart, has announced the planned deployment of 500 licensed fuel-cell electric commercial trucks in Shanghai, purportedly the largest of its kind in the world.

Each of the 500 trucks from Dongfeng Special Vehicle Co. is licensed, plated and powered by a 30-kilowatt fuel-cell engine that was designed and integrated by Shanghai Reinventing Fire Technology Co., featuring Ballard FCvelocity-9SSL proton exchange membrane fuel-cell stacks, according to the Vancouver, British Columbia-based company.

Each box van truck measures 21 feet, can carry a load of 3.2 tons and has an expected range of more than 205 miles. The trucks will be operated by Shanghai Sinotran New Energy Automobile Operation Co., a newly established fuel-cell electric vehicle operator, and are expected to be used primarily for intra-city deliveries.

“We are pleased to be collaborating with Re-Fire as we drive market adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles (or FCEVs) incorporating Ballard fuel cell technology. We believe this is the largest planned deployment of fuel cell-powered trucks anywhere in the world,” Ballard CEO Randy MacEwen said in a statement.

Ballard noted China is forecast to account for 42% of global production of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in 2020, or about 1.1 million units, according to LMC Automotive.

Ballard also supplied the fuel cell for Kenworth Truck Co.’s hydrogen-electric Class 8 bound for a field test at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in March. The battery capacity for that truck is 100 kW-h. (www.chinatrucks.com)

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