Ballard Power hits 150 million kilometre milestone

Ballard Power Systems has announced that its proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells have now powered fuel cell electric vehicles – or FCEVs – in commercial heavy and medium-duty motive vehicles for more than 150 million kilometres.

This is roughly equivalent to circling the earth over 3,700 times. To reach this milestone, Ballard fuel cells powered over 3,800 buses and trucks, providing zero-emission mobility solutions in approximately 15 countries around the world.

“At Ballard, we are designing our PEM fuel cell engines for heavy-duty mobility applications where zero emissions, reliability, and durability are key differentiators for end-user total cost of ownership,” said Randy MacEwen, president and CEO.

“We continue to set the industry benchmark for PEM fuel cell performance in our target markets. The accumulated distance driven by FCEVs powered by our technology underlines Ballard’s customer focus and commitment to reliable service and high uptime.”

MacEwan also noted that there is growing customer interest in the adoption of hydrogen fuel cells in the bus, truck, rail, and marine, as well as off-highway and stationary power applications sectors.

“Our learnings from real-world experience will continue to help us optimize our products from a total cost of ownership perspective and deliver products to meet zero-emissions targets without disrupting existing operating practices, including range, payload, and refueling time,” he said.