- Underscores growing momentum in Europe's fuel cell bus
VANCOUVER, BC, June 18, 2020 /CNW/ - Ballard Power Systems
(NASDAQ: BLDP) (TSX: BLDP) today announced that it has
received follow-on purchase orders for 15 of its 85-kilowatt
heavy-duty FCveloCity®-HD fuel cell modules from
Wrightbus (www.wrightsgroup.com), a leading bus OEM and Ballard
partner headquartered in Northern
Ireland, to power Fuel Cell Electric Buses, or FCEBs,
planned for deployment in the U.K. Wrightbus was recently
re-capitalized by Bamford Bus Company ("Bamford"), after having
gone into administration last year.
Including the 15 modules announced today, Ballard currently has
orders in-hand from Wrightbus for a total of 50 modules to power
FCEBs in the U.K., 35 of which were previously announced in 2019.
Of those 35 modules, 20 are to power buses planned for deployment
in London and 15 are for buses
planned for deployment in Aberdeen. Ballard expects to ship all 50
modules in 2020.
Earlier this year the U.K. Government's Department for Transport
(DfT) announced a 5-year, £5 billion (US$6.4
billion) plan to enhance bus and bicycle infrastructure in
the country, together with deployment of at least 4,000
zero-emission buses, with further details expected in a National
Bus Strategy to be published later in 2020. The case for using
sustainably produced hydrogen in transportation to further the
U.K.'s climate and air quality objectives is presented in a
June 2020 report from The Centre
for Policy Studies, titled "Driving Change: How hydrogen can
fuel a transport revolution", available for download here.
Jo Bamford, Owner of Wrightbus
said, "Cities around the world are seeing massive reductions in air
pollution as many vehicles have been kept off the road during the
pandemic. However, the reality is that if we just go back to how
public transport has traditionally been run, levels of pollution
will quickly rise again to the same levels as before the crisis. We
have an opportunity, working with Ballard's leading-edge
technology, to build hydrogen powered buses that will make a huge
difference to air quality, as well as generating U.K. jobs.
Therefore, our organization is strongly encouraging DfT to provide
funding support for the deployment of 3,000 Fuel Cell Electric
Buses, as part of the U.K.'s National Bus Strategy."
Ballard, Wrightbus and Ryse Hydrogen – also a Bamford-owned
business – are founding members of the H2Bus Consortium,
announced in June 2019 and focused on
deployment of at least 1,000 zero-emission Fuel Cell Electric Buses
and related infrastructure in European cities at commercially
competitive rates. Ryse Hydrogen's is working toward the creation
of a green hydrogen ecosystem for the production, distribution and
dispensing of clean hydrogen fuel.
Randy MacEwen, Ballard CEO noted,
"We are proud to be working with Wrightbus, a leading industry
champion for Fuel Cell Electric Buses on U.K. roads. These buses
will meet a number of important requirements – including extended
range and rapid refueling – in addition to being highly beneficial
from an environmental perspective. The bold plan from the U.K.'s
Department for Transport represents a significant leading edge of
the anticipated rapid growth in zero-emission fuel cell-powered
buses as we move forward in Europe."
In the broader European context, the European Commission has
introduced "A European Green Deal", striving to become the first
climate-neutral continent with no net emissions of greenhouse
gases, by 2050. In addition, the European Commission's Clean
Vehicle Directive (CVD) is expected to be an important driver
behind the adoption of zero-emission buses across the entire
continent. The CVD sets minimum targets for zero-emission buses,
varying for each EU member within the following ranges:
- 24%-to-45% of bus purchases in the 2021-25 timeframe should be
clean vehicles; and
- 33%-to-65% of bus purchases in the 2026-30 timeframe should be
clean vehicles.
In addition, 50% of the minimum CVD target for each country must
be fulfilled by procuring zero-emission buses, including Fuel Cell
Electric Buses, defined as a vehicle emitting less than 1g
CO2/kWh or less than 1g CO2/km.
Ballard currently has orders in-hand from multiple bus OEMs –
including Wrightbus – for a total of 127 fuel cell modules to power
FCEBs in at least 7 cities in the U.K., Germany, Italy and the
Netherlands, all under the Joint Initiative For Hydrogen
Vehicles Across Europe (JIVE) program funded by FCH-JU.
About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems'
(NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP) vision is to deliver fuel cell power for
a sustainable planet. Ballard zero-emission PEM fuel cells are
enabling electrification of mobility, including buses, commercial
trucks, trains, marine vessels, passenger cars, forklift trucks and
UAVs. To learn more about Ballard, please visit
www.ballard.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements concerning
anticipated product performance and other characteristics, product
deliveries and deployments. 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
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performance, please refer to Ballard's most recent Annual
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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.
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SOURCE Ballard Power Systems Inc.