Next stop hydrogen power with Ballard fuel cell technology for heavy-duty mobility

Authored and sponsored by Ballard Power Systems

Ballard Power Systems has a vision to deliver fuel cell power for a sustainable planet. Using its considerable fuel cell expertise – built up over 45 years – Ballard provides valuable and innovative solutions to global customers and its zero-emission proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells enable electrification of heavy-duty mobility, including public transport vehicles for global players.

Today, Ballard supplies the majority of the hydrogen-powered fuel cell engines driving the zero-emission bus fleets run by Europe’s biggest transport operators – including vehicles manufactured by Solaris, Karsan, Wrightbus, New Flyer, Van Hool and Otokar.

Ballard’s role in transition of buses to zero emission

Designed to address the specific operational and performance requirements of public transit and heavy-duty mobility, Ballard has the longest serving fuel cell solution available, and today powers nearly 4,000 buses and trucks worldwide. Hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses have been in revenue service since the late 1990s and Ballard-powered buses and trucks have now delivered more than 200 million on-road kilometres globally.

Ballard’s products are focused on meeting the power requirements of its partners – by delivering high value, quality, reliability, and clean energy solutions that reduce cost and risk. The technology Ballard develops provides the answers to its customers’ technical and business challenges and accelerates their maturing fuel cell programs to support widespread application adoption.

400 hydrogen buses in Europe with Ballard modules

“Fuel cell buses are fast gaining momentum as a preferred zero-emission solution in fleets where high utilisation, longer range, short fuelling time and high-power requirements are a priority,” said Oben Uluc, Vice President, EMEA Sales and Marketing, Ballard. “Today, Ballard powers nearly 400 hydrogen buses in European cities – with many more entering service during 2024. We expect these deployment numbers to grow rapidly over the next five years as the favourable and proactive European funding landscape helps realise the long-term benefits and improves the cost-of-ownership model of hydrogen buses.”

Driving the fast-growing number of zero-emission mass transit fleets in Europe, China and North America, Ballard’s proven FCmove^® product range incorporates fuel cell engines with a power range from 45kW–120kW, ranging from compact 6-metre buses to 18-metre articulated vehicles. Designed for the specific requirements of transit buses, Ballard’s 70kW FCmove^®-HD and 100kW FCmove^®-HD+ are available in rooftop and engine bay configurations for the maximum level of integration flexibility. For coach applications, Ballard’s 120kW FCmove^®-XD fuel cell provides a powerful, scalable solution.

“The FCmove^® fuel cell engine range is designed for applications where reliability, durability and uncompromised performance are the key factors for a mass transit operator’s total cost of ownership. Our learnings from real-world deployments enable us to deliver technology to meet zero-emission targets without disrupting existing operations,” concludes Uluc.

Ballard Power Systems to present new solution at Busworld Turkey

Supporting vehicle deployment, Ballard’s comprehensive fuel cell module training system incorporates three tiers of fuel cell technician training, empowering fleet customers’ service teams to care for their own vehicles with confidence. This is backed up by Ballard’s customer care team with more than three decades of on-the-road support, ensuring the highest availability from the first fill-up to vehicle retirement.

Ballard Power Systems will present its latest generation FCmove^® hydrogen fuel cells for mass transit at Busworld Türkiye from May 29-31, 2024. Ballard is exhibiting in hall 3, stand E15 at the Istanbul Expo Center.