Ballard is partnering with North American bus OEM ElDorado National and BAE Systems, a system integrator and major supplier of electric drive systems, to deliver buses to SunLine Transit Agency.

SunLine Transit Agency received funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to purchase and deploy 5 hydrogen electric fuel cell buses. This will double SunLine‘s current fleet of fuel cell buses and allow it to offer expanded transit service in the Coachella Valley area of Southern California.

The buses will use the previously deployed American Fuel Cell Bus (AFCB) configuration, first introduced with SunLine Transit Agency in 2011. The AFCB configuration utilizes Ballard’s heavy duty fuel cell system to provide primary power, in combination with BAE Systems’ electric propulsion and power management systems deployed in an ENC 40-foot (12-meter) Axess model transit bus. There are currently 13 AFCBs deployed with various transit agencies across North America, with another 10 on order including these 5 for SunLine.

Funding was provided by the FTA under the Low or No Emission (LoNo) Vehicle Program. The LoNo Vehicle Program is designed to support deployment of clean, energy-efficient buses in transit fleets. The program provides funding to transit agencies for capital acquisitions and leases of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, including acquisition, construction and leasing of required infrastructure such as refueling and maintenance facilities.