AC Transit

AC Transit is embarking on a multi-year program to demonstrate the commercial viability of fuel cell buses.

AC Transit, along with SunLine Transit (see below) will become one of the first public transit agencies in the U.S. to implement fuel cell buses into regular revenue service.

This effort is being conducted through the California Fuel Cell Partnership. AC Transit is entering into an agreement with Thundervolt-ISE Research, a fuel cell system integrator, and UTC Fuel Cells for the delivery of three fuel cell buses in the second half of 2004. The buses will be equipped with hybrid fuel cell systems, which will utilize a 170-kilowatt cell from UTC and either batteries or an ultracapacitor to provide acceleration and hill-climbing as well as regen braking. Van Hool of Belgium will build three 40-foot bus bodies for AC Transit.

AC Transit will evaluate the bus performance in comparison with their diesel buses, focusing on service in hilly areas, freeway express service to San Francisco and service on heavy-travel lines with over 20,000 passengers per day. AC Transit recently unveiled a hydrogen fueling station that supplies hydrogen from a Stuart Energy electrolyzer. Although the station currently can fuel only passenger cars, AC Transit plans to upgrade it to accommodate refueling of the three fuel cell buses to be deployed under this program.

SunLine Transit

SunLine Transit is also participating in this demonstration program. SunLine will contract with North American Bus Industries (NABI) to build a 45-foot composite bus body for a single hydrogen-powered bus. The bus will utilize the same hybrid fuel cell systems -- developed by UTC Fuel Cells and Thor Industries -- as the AC Transit buses. The agency will will examine the effect of extreme heat on fuel cell operation, as well as compare the reliability of the fuel cell buses to CNG buses. SunLine already operates a hydrogen refueling facility which is being used under the California Fuel Cell Partnership for these types of fuel cell transit application demonstrations.

Clean Urban Transport for Europe (CUTE)

Ballard is partnering with Evobus (a DaimlerChrysler company) to develop 30 Mercedes-Benz Citaro fuel cell buses for the European fuel cell bus project. The buses will be delivered to 10 European cities: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, Hamburg, Stuttgart, London, Luxembourg, Porto (Portugal), Stockholm, and Reykjavik, Iceland. The first bus in the program was delivered to Madrid in May, 2003

Courtesy Ballard Power Systems

Munich Airport

Ballard is partnering with MAN to develop a 40-foot fuel cell bus for demonstration at the Munich Airport, beginning in 2004. The low-floor buses will use a 65 kW PEM fuel cell system.

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) of San Jose, California will deploy three 40-foot Gillig buses powered by Ballard's 205 kW fuel cell engines. The buses are scheduled for delivery in 2004, will be integrated into transit buses for delivery in 2004. The buses will operate for two years in revenue service under real-world conditions. VTA will evaluate fuel cell technology for the public transit industry, including maintenance and operating performance and costs, fueling safety, employee training, and public education and awareness. This is a joint demonstration program with VTA, the San Mateo Transportation District, the California Fuel Cell Partnership and the California Air Resources Board.

Western Australian Fuel Cell Bus Program

Perth, Australia will host a demonstration of three DaimlerChrysler fuel cell buses, under the same demonstration program that DaimlerChrysler is conducting in Europe (the CUTE program). Perth is the only city in the Southern Hemisphere to participate in the program. The buses will be operated as part of the Transperth fleet on operational bus routes. BP is partnering to supply hydrogen for the project, and Perth AustraliaÕs State Government has committed $4 million to this effort.

Natural Resources Canada Fuel Cell Bus Program

In 2002, Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) announced a three-year project with Hydrogenics to develop and deploy new hybrid fuel-cell bus technology. Hydrogenics will develop the fuel cell system using a 180-kW PEM fuel cell; the bus is being built by New Flyer . The hybrid fuel cell system will use ultra-capacitors for the regenerative braking system. The bus will be demonstrated and tested in Winnipeg, and possibly other Canadian cities. The first phase of the program -- development of the fuel-cell system and preparation of the bus -- is scheduled to be completed in March 2004. The second phase, integration of the fuel-cell system into the bus and performance testing at Winnipeg Transit, is scheduled to be completed by March 2005.

Winnipeg, Canada

Canadian fuel cell company Hydrogenics has committed to partner with New Flyer to develop a 40-foot fuel cell bus for demonstration and testing in Winnipeg, Canada in 2004 and 2005. Natural Resources Canada is spearheading this three-year project, whose partners also include Dynetek Industries, ISE Research and Maxwell Technologies.

Beijing Olympic Games

China has said that it will deploy fuel cell buses during the 2008 Olympic Games. The 50 kW fuel cell engine was developed at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Georgetown University (proposed)

Georgetown University is exploring a continuation of its fuel cell bus program with a Generation III fuel cell bus. The first Generation III bus is planned to be Georgetown's first non-hybrid fuel cell bus, operating on methanol.

The key aspects of the Generation III program are:

1. Use a 40-foot low-floor bus platform Georgetown's first low-floor fuel cell bus low-floor models are preferred in the US transit bus industry

2. Use a non-hybrid fuel cell power system significantly reduces weight greatly simplifies control scheme improves over-the-road capability

3. Use a PEMFC power plant at least 240 kW power capacity at least 50 kW/sec response rate to handle dynamic requirements approximately 4500 lbs. quick-start capability (under 15 minutes)

4. Reduce the curb weight of the bus to approximately match that of a comparable CNG-fueled bus

London

The city of London has said it will launch a fuel cell bus trial using three of the fuel cell buses being developed by EvoBus and DaimlerChrysler for the European CUTE program. The program has the support of London's mayor, who is working to reduce congestion and pollution in the city.

Las Vegas Demonstration (proposed)

Electric Fuel Corporation, a zinc-air fuel cell company, has teamed with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) for a proposed demonstration a mini-fleet of zinc-air fuel cell powered transit buses in Las Vegas. The Electric Fuel zinc-air bus, developed with support from the Federal Transit Administration and the BIRD Foundation, has been tested as part of an ongoing FTA demonstration and evaluation program. Electric Fuel is seeking congressional funding to carry out this proposed demonstration.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (proposed)

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has indicated that it intends to release a request for proposals for fuel cell buses. The acquisition would be part of an effort by DART to compare a variety of clean transit technologies.