VANCOUVER and ALTOONA, PA, Feb. 12,
2019 /CNW/ - Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX:
BLDP) today announced that the New Flyer Industries Canada ULC and
New Flyer of America Inc. (collectively "New Flyer") 40-foot
and 60-foot Xcelsior fuel cell-electric buses (FCEBs), powered by
Ballard FCveloCity®-HD 85 kilowatt (kW) modules, have
completed rigorous testing at The Altoona Bus Research and Testing
Center under a program established by the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA).
With this important accomplishment, New Flyer's 40-foot and
60-foot FCEBs, using Ballard's
FCveloCity® -HD 85kW module, are commercially available
for sale utilizing FTA funding. Both models will also be
eligible for California's Hybrid
and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP).
HVIP is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program
that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving
public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged
communities. The current $300,000 voucher incentive covers 40-foot transit
buses and Class 8 trucks powered exclusively by hydrogen fuel
cells. Both funding opportunities enable transit agencies to
support the transition to zero-emission operations.
New Flyer's Xcelsior FCEBs offer a complement of important
advantages to battery-electric alternatives, including: extended
range in excess of 260 miles; rapid refueling with hydrogen in less
than 10-minutes; 95% material recycling; and full route
flexibility.
Rob Campbell, Ballard's Chief Commercial Officer said, "This
is an exciting development for New Flyer and we are very pleased to
be working with this dynamic, leading bus OEM. Frost & Sullivan
projects that 40% of new heavy duty transit buses in the U.S. will
be electric by 2022. Ballard
provides zero-emission, high performance fuel cell modules to power
FCEBs within this rapidly-growing transit segment."
Chris Stoddart, President of New
Flyer noted, "New Flyer, along with many major automotive
manufacturers, strongly believes that hydrogen and fuel cell
technology remains a viable complementary electric propulsion
option for clean cities with extended range operations. We
celebrate this important milestone in deploying zero-emission bus
propulsion technology on a proven, safe, and reliable bus
platform."
As cities and new regulations push transit agencies to
accelerate the transition of bus fleets to zero emission vehicles,
FCEBs – powered by Ballard's
FCveloCity®-HD module – will offer a one-to-one
replacement for diesel and CNG buses, with no compromise in terms
of service and no road-side recharging infrastructure.
Testing at the Altoona,
Pennsylvania facility included evaluations of safety,
structural integrity and durability, reliability, performance,
maintainability, noise, fuel economy, and braking.
About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems
(NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP) provides clean energy products that
reduce customer costs and risks, and helps customers solve
difficult technical and business challenges in their fuel cell
programs. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements concerning
anticipated product performance, customer benefits and market
demand for our products. These forward-looking statements reflect
Ballard's current expectations as
contemplated under section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. Any such forward-looking statements are based on
Ballard's assumptions relating to
its financial forecasts and expectations regarding its product
development efforts, manufacturing capacity, and market demand.
These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause
Ballard's actual results to be
materially different, including general economic and regulatory
changes, detrimental reliance on third parties, successfully
achieving our business plans and achieving and sustaining
profitability. For a detailed discussion of these and other risk
factors that could affect Ballard's future performance, please refer to
Ballard's most recent Annual
Information Form. Readers should not place undue reliance on
Ballard's forward-looking
statements and Ballard assumes no
obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward
looking statements, other than as required under applicable
legislation.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy securities. The Ballard
Common Shares have not been registered under the United States
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any
other jurisdiction and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an
applicable exemption from registration requirements.
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SOURCE Ballard Power Systems Inc.