Ballard Power Systems has announced a purchase order from Solaris Bus & Coach S.A., a European bus and trolleybus manufacturer and Ballard partner headquartered in Bolechowo, Poland, for 12 fuel cell modules to power 12 buses to be deployed with SASA Bolzano, the public transport operator in Bolzano, Italy under the Joint Initiative For Hydrogen Vehicles Across Europe ("JIVE") funding program.
The Urbino 12 hydrogen model fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) – capable of traveling 350 kilometers on a single hydrogen refuelling – was unveiled by Solaris at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2019, held in June in Stockholm, Sweden. The bus incorporates an axle with two electric motors and is equipped with a climate control system utilising heat generated by the fuel cell module. The 12 FCmove-HD modules – a product that was launched by Ballard at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2019 in June – are expected to ship in 2020 and the buses are expected to be deployed with SAS Bolzano by 2021.
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"We have collaborated with Solaris for a number of years and are very pleased to now provide our latest generation fuel cell power modules for the Bolzano deployment," said Rob Campbell, Ballard Chief Commercial Officer. "This now brings the total number of Ballard fuel cell modules ordered for buses under the European JIVE program to 92, with deployments planned in Germany, France, the U.K. – including both England and Scotland – and now Italy."
Ballard says the FCmove-HD has a number of advantages compared to the current generation heavy-duty fuel cell module. These include: lower lifecycle cost; higher reliability; and simplified system integration. Ballard says reducing the volume by 40% and weight by 35% has produced a compact, low-profile module that is ready to install in tight spaces. The improved module is also tolerant to a wider range of operating conditions, including freeze start to -25°C without external energy. There is no need to plug in the vehicle or use special start procedures, Ballard says.
