- 500 licensed trucks highlight progress in the adoption of
Ballard fuel cell technology in China's transportation sector
- Expected to be world's largest deployment of fuel cell
commercial trucks
VANCOUVER and SHANGHAI, Feb. 13,
2018 /CNW/ - Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP)
today announced the planned deployment of 500 licensed fuel cell
electric commercial trucks – all using Ballard fuel cell stack
technology – in Shanghai,
China.
Each of the 500 Dongfeng Special Vehicle trucks is now licensed,
plated and powered by a 30 kilowatt fuel cell engine that was
designed and integrated by Shanghai Reinventing Fire Technology
Company Limited ("Re-Fire"), featuring Ballard
FCvelocity®-9SSL proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel
cell stacks.
Each box van truck is manufactured by Dongfeng Special Vehicle
Co. Ltd., measures 6.4 meters (21 feet) in length, can carry a load
of 3.2 tons and has an expected range of more than 330 kilometers
(205 miles). The trucks will be operated by Shanghai Sinotran New
Energy Automobile Operation Co., Ltd., a newly established fuel
cell electric vehicle operator, and are expected to be used
primarily for intra-city deliveries of goods.
Ballard and Re-Fire have entered into a collaboration agreement
under which Re-Fire has agreed to use Ballard-designed fuel cell
stacks in its fuel cell engines. Ballard's
FCvelocity®-9SSL stacks are now being manufactured and
are available from Guangdong Synergy Ballard Hydrogen Power Co.,
Ltd., Ballard's joint venture in Yunfu, Guangdong Province.
"Re-Fire has developed a leading position as a system integrator
in the fast-moving Chinese fuel cell transportation market," said
Randy MacEwen, Ballard President and CEO. "We are pleased to be
collaborating with Re-Fire as we drive market adoption of fuel cell
electric vehicles – or FCEVs – incorporating Ballard fuel cell
technology. We believe this is the largest planned deployment of
fuel cell-powered trucks anywhere in the world. It is not
surprising that this is happening in Shanghai given that city's leadership in the
commercial adoption of FCEVs."
Mr. Robin Lin, Re-Fire CEO noted,
"Fuel cell electric commercial trucks represent a large and
attractive market opportunity in China, particularly where user requirements
favor long range, heavy payloads and fast refueling. Ballard is the
premier global PEM fuel cell technology company, so using
Ballard-designed fuel cell stacks in our engines was an easy
decision."
Mr. Lin concluded, "With the integration work completed in
late-2017, and all 500 commercial trucks having received green
license plates for new energy vehicles in Shanghai, we are now preparing for vehicle
launch. We expect to deploy all 500 trucks in 2018, subject to
parallel activities, including appropriate scaling of fueling
infrastructure and our service platform."
In 2017, the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of
Economy and Information and the Shanghai Municipal Development
& Reform Commission launched the "Shanghai Fuel Cell Vehicle
Development Plan", a ground-breaking Plan calling for the annual
production of 3,000 FCEVs by 2020.
Two recently-constructed hydrogen refueling stations are
currently operating in Shanghai,
with two additional stations planned for completion in the first
half of 2018. As per the "Shanghai Fuel Cell Vehicle Development
Plan", a total of 5-to-10 hydrogen fueling stations are planned by
2020.
China is forecasted to account
for approximately 42% of global production of medium- and
heavy-duty trucks in 2020, or approximately 1.1 million units,
according to LMC Automotive.
About Shanghai Reinventing Fire Technology Company
Limited ("Re-Fire")
Re-Fire is recognized as an integration leader in the fuel cell
industry, offering innovative proprietary fuel cell engine products
and state-of-the-art fuel cell powertrain solutions to OEM
customers and end users. To learn more about Re-Fire, please visit
http://www.re-fire.com/.
About Dongfeng Special Vehicle Company Limited
Founded
in 1969, Dongfeng Special Vehicle Co., Ltd. is a special purpose
vehicle manufacturer located in China in Shiyan in Hubei Province, China. A member of the Dongfeng group of
companies, it manufactures dump trucks, box van trucks, truck
mounted loader cranes, wing van trucks, and other vehicles under
the Dongfeng brand name. To learn more, please visit
http://www.dftq.net/eng/.
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 deployment of vehicles incorporating 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
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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.
SOURCE Ballard Power Systems Inc.