No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
A PureMotion ® Model 120 PEM fuel cell power plant from Connecticutbased UTC Power has surpassed 5000 operating hours in real-world service in a hybrid-electric transit bus, with its original cell stacks and no cell replacements. The latest-generation 120 kW power plant is installed in an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) bus operating in the Greater Oakland, California area.
Three AC Transit fuel cell buses have now traveled a total of more than 213 000 miles (343 000 km), with an average fuel economy that is 65% better than the control fleet of diesel buses running the same routes and duty cycles.
'Stack durability matters. It is recognized by the industry as a key challenge in commercializing fuel cell vehicles worldwide,' says Ken Stewart, VP for transportation at UTC Power. 'The last time we serviced the stacks in that bus, all of the candidates for President still had nine months of campaigning to do. UTC Power has significantly improved fuel cell stack durability, and we're confident that our progress will continue.'
A recent report on worldwide hydrogen bus demonstration programs completed on behalf of the Federal Transit Administration -part of the US Department of Transportation -noted that zero-emission buses performed well across a wide range of operating conditions, including hilly and flat terrain, hot and cold temperatures, and high-and low-speed duty cycles.
The study found no major safety issues over millions of miles of vehicle service. Most participants found that drivers preferred fuel cell buses to compressed natural gas or diesel, noting their smooth ride, ease of operation, strong acceleration, and ability to maneuver well in traffic.
UTC Power has provided fuel cell power plants for fleet transportation since 1998, and its fuel cells have powered buses in the US, Spain, Italy, and Belgium. The company's latestgeneration PEM fuel cell system has accumulated more than 350 000 miles (560 000 km) of commercial service for city transit bus fleets.
📜 SIMILAR VOLUMES