Enova Electric Drives in Two More Fuel Cell Prototypes

28 April 2005

Enova Systems’s 120 kW HybridPower drive systems are being used in two different fuel cell-powered ground support equipment prototypes and tests for the US Air Force.

In the first, Concurrent Technologies Corporation, which operates the Department of Defense (DoD) Fuel Cell Test and Evaluation Center (FCTec), is integrating the Enova drive system with a Hydrogenics HyPM 65 kW fuel cell system in an MB-4 aircraft tow tractor.

The MB-4 tow tractor vehicle will be tested in fuel cell demonstrations at select Air Force Bases and civil airports in the United States.

In the second project, Enova contracted with the High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) and the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies (HCATT) in Hawaii to integrate and to evaluate a fuel cell hybrid step van for Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu.

The Enova 120 kW electric drive motor delivers 650 Nm (480 lb-ft) torque.

Enova has worked with HCATT and Hickham in the past on other airport bus and electric vehicle projects. In late 2004, Enova also teamed with Hydrogenics to develop and deploy a fuel cell hybrid delivery van for Purolator Courier.

Enova Systems (formerly US Electricar) has been partnering with Hyundai for years on the research and development of all electric, hybrid electric, and fuel cell drive systems. Hyundai Motors and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) took equity stakes in Enova, and in 2003 the companies opened the joint Hyundai Enova Innovative Technology Center.