Ballard launches new fuel cell engine for commercial vehicles

Ballard Power Systems has launched FCmove™-HD+, designed for buses and medium and heavy-duty trucks, the latest product in its 8th generation heavy-duty power module portfolio.

The new FCmove™-HD+ has 100 kW power output. It is the second engine in the FCmove family of products, featuring the company patented PEM fuel cell technology. With its smaller, lighter, efficient, and lower cost attributes, it is improving vehicle integration. Compared to the previous models, it results in a 40% reduction in total life cycle cost. The estimated stack lifetime reaches 25k hours.

It can be installed at the engine bay and rooftop. It is over 40% more compact and over 30% lighter than the previous 100 kW module, with 50% fewer components. It also has high-performing power and a wide operating range and can be operated between -30C and +50C.

The first vehicle powered by the 100 kW new technology is expected to be in 2022, including the fuel cell trucks recently announced with Hexagon Purus and Quantron.

Ballard fuel cell technology has been used for over 100 million km by 3,500 buses and trucks.

Kevin Colbow, CTO of Ballard, said, “With broad market access across key verticals of medium and heavy-duty truck, bus and off-road vehicles, the FCmove™-HD+ has wide-reaching applications to accelerate the decarbonisation of the transportation sector.”