Ballard Power Systems will provide fuel cell modules to power four UPS delivery trucks in California, US as part of a project by the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE).
Current battery-powered Class-6 UPS delivery trucks have a range limit that makes them suitable for only a percentage of routes, and often not for the majority of routes in any delivery area. This percentage can be further reduced if the delivery locations face unexpected heavier loads, hilly terrain or colder temperatures.
As a result, for several months Ballard has been involved in the development of a UPS truck using a 30kW FCveloCity®-MD fuel cell module as a range extender, thereby addressing these limitations by boosting drive range and providing certainty of completing daily delivery missions while maintaining zero-emission performance.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is partially funding the project and has announced a preliminary funding award of $5.8m through its Zero and Near Zero Emissions Freight Facilities (ZANZEFF) grant programme.
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