Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses are Electric Buses
Fuel cells improve the performance of electric buses by generating onboard power from hydrogen to recharge the batteries. Today, bus manufacturers offer fuel cell buses to transit agencies as a standard electric propulsion option.
This video format is not supported
This video format is not supported
On the Front Lines with Ballard Europe: Supporting
Integration of Our Latest Fuel Cell Modules
Transit Buses in California - Zero Emission by 2040
Advantages of Fuel Cell Electric Buses
Fuel cell electric buses offer a one-to-one replacement for diesel and CNG buses, with no compromise in service. Key attributes of fuel cell electric buses:
|
• Zero-emission at the tailpipe
|
• Consistent power delivery during the duty cycle, in heat and cold
|
|
• Range of up to 300 miles or 450 km between refueling
|
• Compact depot gas refueling, eliminating the need for roadside charging infrastructure
|
|
• Can be refueled in less than 10 minutes
|
• Proven durability, with fuel cell lifetime of more than 30,000 hours
|
Hydrogen Provides Operational Flexibility
Hydrogen is ideal for centralized fueling of transit fleets. Quick refueling means buses have less downtime and higher utilization. In many cases, agencies can install hydrogen refueling infrastructure with a similar footprint to CNG refueling. Today several companies provide turnkey hydrogen infrastructure solutions and are developing methods to produce green hydrogen from renewable energy.
Ballard's Experience
With more than 15 years on the road and more than 20 million of kilometers miles in passenger service, fuel cell electric buses have proven their performance, demonstrating reliable operation long daily drive cycles during all seasons and in challenging geographies. Today, there are more than 760 fuel cell electric buses powered by Ballard deployed globally.
Buses powered by Ballard have achieved durability records with more than 30,000 hours of revenue service. This is equivalent to operating a bus on a 14-hour daily schedule, 5-days per week for more than eight years with no significant maintenance to the fuel cell stack, a core engine component.
Proven Solution for Transit Buses
Ballard motive modules have been designed for integration into advanced hybrid transit buses from 8 to 18 meters (35 to 60 feet), including double-decker buses.
Case Studies