Ballard’s sixth generation FCvelocity-HD6 fuel cell module features a control unit which interfaces with a system controller to make this a “plug-and-play” product for any fuel cell or hybrid fuel cell bus platform. The module also offers significant advances in durability, power density and fuel efficiency compared to earlier generation products. Ballard has actively participated in previous successful European fuel cell hybrid bus field tests, including the CUTE (Clean Urban Transport for Europe) and HyFLEET:CUTE projects.

The FCvelocity-HD6 comes in 75 and 150 kW packages.

The 21 FCvelocity-HD6 modules will power buses to be deployed in several European cities, which will be named following completion of the associated contracts between Van Hool and public transit authorities in these cities. It is expected that the majority of the modules will be shipped in 2012.

Van Hool is a Belgian-based independent bus, coach and industrial vehicle OEM with a long history of innovation in bus manufacturing. The company previously engineered and produced five hybrid fuel cell buses, using Ballard power modules, for deployment in Oslo, Norway.

These bus deployments are being supported by European Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) funding provided under the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCHJU) program, which is a part of Europe’s Sustainable Energy Technology (SET) Plan. The SET Plan provides a framework to accelerate development and deployment of cost-effective low carbon and zero-emission technologies.