LONDON, U.K. – Ballard FCvelocity^®-HD6 fuel cell modules have been powering a fleet of buses operated by Transport for London (TfL) since the first of these were put into operation in 2010. A total of five (5) buses were deployed that year with three (3) more added in 2013 – the fleet of eight (8) fuel cell buses is part of the transit agencies publicly stated goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% from the 1990 level, by 2025. 

The Transport for London fuel cell bus fleet operates on the central Covent Garden-Tower Gateway route, where it has now clocked more than 107,000 hours of operation and covered over 690,000 kilometres (428,000 miles), with fuel performance and reliability exceeding expectations. 

Recently one of the fleet’s buses achieved its 20,000th hour of operation, a significant operating performance milestone. Several other buses in the fleet are expected to reach this milestone in the near future, as well. 

As Mike Weston, Transport for London’s Director of Buses has stated, “We are very pleased with the performance of the fleet of fuel cell buses, as well as with the ongoing service and support that Ballard is providing. We remain committed to the achievement of our clean transportation goals and these buses are an important part of our solution.” 

In keeping with this view, TfL signed an agreement with Ballard in June 2015 to extend operation of the fuel cell bus fleet for a further five (5) years. 

Fuel Cell Product Performance 
The FCvelocity^®-HD6 modules currently operating in the Transport for London fuel cell bus fleet have performed in a manner consistent with our expectations, including operating life or durability. Indeed, all Ballard customers adhering to the Company’s recommendations regarding integration and/or deployment practices in relation to our PEM fuel cell products – whether they are using stacks, modules or complete systems – can expect industry-leading performance and durability. 

Latest Generation Heavy Duty Module 
In June 2015 Ballard also introduced our latest generation heavy duty module, the FCvelocity^®-HD7, at the UITP World Congress and Exhibition in Milan, Italy. This product is available in 30 kilowatt (kW), 60kW, 90kW and 200kW net power configurations, each offering – 
 
    • Even stronger performance, including unmatched fuel efficiency and durability as well as the ability to support a wide range of 
      operating conditions; 
    • Simplified, compact and scalable design, allowing flexible and easy integration into vehicle drive trains; and 
    • Reduced cost. 


About Ballard Power Systems 
Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) provides clean energy fuel cell products enabling optimized power systems for a range of applications. Products deliver incomparable performance, durability and versatility. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.