VANCOUVER, CANADA – Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP) today announced that the Company’s proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology and products have now powered Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles – or FCEVs – in commercial Heavy- and Medium-Duty Motive applications for an industry-leading cumulative total of more than 75 million kilometers on roads around the globe.
Ballard PEM fuel cell technology and products – with the 8th generation power module launched in 2019 – have been integrated for many years into FCEVs to provide zero-emission power for vehicle propulsion in over 20 countries around the world. This includes more than 3,400 fuel cell electric buses and commercial trucks. Approximately 80% of the more than 75 million kilometers has been achieved in FCEVs deployed in China, with the remaining vehicles deployed in Europe and North America.
Dr. Kevin Colbow, Ballard CTO said, “Ballard has industry-leading field experience in powering commercial vehicles, as evidenced by this 75-million-kilometer milestone. Our technology innovation and product programs have benefited immeasurably from these important on-road applications, through which Ballard products experience the full range of vehicle payloads, duty cycles, road conditions, and weather. The results include unparalleled reliability, durability and performance. Ballard is well-positioned to address Heavy- and Medium-Duty Motive applications, including bus, truck, train and marine, just as the global commitment to zero-emission mobility is accelerating. To date, almost 50 countries have launched carbon pricing initiatives, 75 countries have net zero carbon emission targets, and 32 countries – representing over 70% of global GDP – have announced hydrogen roadmaps. Moreover, the total addressable market for zero-emission modules to power commercial vehicles exceeds $130 billion annually.”
Ballard’s unmatched field experience has been leveraged through an effective feedback loop into the company’s product design and development efforts, resulting in the fuel cell industry’s highest performance products designed for Heavy- and Medium-Duty Motive applications. Some of the FCEVs have operated over 8-years in the field, exceeded 38,000 hours of revenue service with no major fuel cell stack maintenance requirements.
