Ballard-Powered El Dorado Fuel Cell Electric Buses Ready to Deliver Zero-Emission Transit

Vancouver, Canada and Altoona, USA - Ballard Power Systems announced that El Dorado National fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs), powered by Ballard FCveloCity-HD modules, have successfully completed rigorous testing at The Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center under a program established by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

According to Ballard, furthermore, El Dorado National FCEBs are now eligible for a $300,000 voucher incentive under the California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and HVIP are focused on accelerating the purchase of cleaner, more efficient trucks and buses in California.

El Dorado National’s 40-foot Axess Fuel Cell Electric Bus is now available for sale with the substantial HVIP incentive in California, enabling transit agencies to electrify bus fleets and meet future regulations for zero-emission transit. These buses offer extended range, exceeding 260 miles, can be quickly refueled with hydrogen and ensure full route flexibility.

“With these positive results, fuel cell technology will now be a viable and production-ready technology for transit operators looking for zero-emission travel,” says Mike Ammann, Vice President of Sales for El Dorado. “With the ability to refuel within 20 minutes and a proven transit duty cycle range of over 200 miles, the Axess FCEV is the only zero-emission transit bus that can seamlessly integrate into existing transit fleets”, he adds.

El Dorado National has extensive experience in manufacturing reliable transit buses, having produced 20 FCEBs in its Riverside, California plant, all powered by Ballard in collaboration with BAE Systems, under the American Fuel Cell Bus (AFCB) program. The latest version of El Dorado National’s Axess FCEB offers additional hydrogen storage, thereby extending the range beyond 300 miles.

There are currently 21 FCEBs in operation with several transit agencies in California, some with many years of revenue service. These buses operate on long routes with demanding duty cycles under extreme weather conditions. This includes the Coachella Valley, where Sunline Transit currently operates 8 fuel cell electric buses.

Source: IWR Online, 19 Jul 2018