- Raising the bar with high performance & reduced
cost
VANCOUVER and HANNOVER, Germany, Sept. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Ballard Power
Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP) today unveiled its
next-generation high performance liquid-cooled fuel cell stack, the
FCgen®-LCS, at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Trade Fair
and Convention being held this week in Hannover, Germany.
The FCgen®-LCS features important design and
performance enhancements, while also offering an impressive
reduction in total-cost-of-ownership. This stack will be a core
technology component of Ballard's 8th-generation power
module portfolio for use in Heavy Duty Motive applications –
including buses, commercial trucks and trains – planned for initial
launch in 2019, and other applications such as forklifts.
Randy MacEwen, Ballard President and CEO said, "We are laser
focused on strengthening the customer value proposition in Heavy
Duty Motive. With the unveiling of the FCgen®-LCS, we
are once again raising the bar in the industry. The
FCgen®-LCS is expected to offer attractive customer
value based on significantly reduced capital and operating costs,
ultra-high durability, improved power density, impressive freeze
start capability, enhanced efficiency, packaging flexibility, and
high performance in a broad range of climatic conditions and duty
cycles. With today's unveiling of the FCgen®-LCS stack
and next year's planned launch of LCS-based power modules, Ballard
will remain the market leader in zero-emission PEM fuel cell power
solutions for the Heavy Duty Motive market."
Dr. Kevin Colbow, Ballard's Vice
President – Technology and Product Development added, "The Ballard
brand is synonymous with PEM fuel cell technology leadership. Our
long-standing investment in PEM fuel cell research and product
development, together with more than 8 million miles of on-road bus
experience with customers across a variety of operating conditions,
has resulted in this next generation, high performance PEM fuel
cell stack."
Benefits of the FCgen®-LCS, compared to the current
generation liquid-cooled fuel cell stack that it will replace,
include:
- Lower Cost – Expected 40% reduction in
total-cost-of-ownership, achieved through various design and
processing improvements, including: improved durability; lower
catalyst loading; increased power density; improved unit cell
performance; greater efficiency; and optimized high-volume MEA
manufacturing processes. (The total-cost-of-ownership comparison is
based on life cycle cost of a 50-kilowatt fuel cell stack operating
for 50,000 hours with a single refurbishment.)
- Ultra-Long Durability – Planned operating lifetime of
more than 30,000 hours – which exceeds the useful lifetime of many
vehicles – made possible through improved MEA design and
processing, as well as the use of reusable carbon bi-polar plates
and molded compression hardware.
- High Power Density – 33% increase in power density,
reducing physical stack size for a given amount of power, and
thereby enabling tighter packaging into limited available
space.
- Freeze Start Capability – Able to start in cold
temperatures from -25oC (-13oF).
- Higher Tolerance to Operating Conditions – Higher
performance attributes of the stack enable tolerance to a wider
range of operating conditions, including: cold weather conditions
and freeze start capabilities; operation at temperatures of up to
85oC (185oF), thereby reducing cooling
requirements; and compatibility with high- and low-pressure
operating conditions.
- Simplified Systems Integration – Several important
features simplify systems integration requirements, including:
compact design; flexible packaging from 20-to-220 cells; ports
located at both ends of the stack provide easier access for fluids
as well as the ability to mount the stack in several different
orientations; and expanded vehicle integration flexibility for both
air and cooling systems, enabled by the stack's expanded range of
operating pressure, humidity and temperature.
- Sustainability – FCgen®-LCS features key
sustainability design characteristics, including: higher
efficiency; the use of reusable low-cost carbon plates and
compression hardware; and the ability to recover catalyst material
from MEAs.
Ballard will be showcasing the FCgen®-LCS product in
Hannover, Germany at the IAA
Commercial Vehicles Trade Fair and Convention, September 19th-27th in Hall
P11EG, booth 401-02. Further details, including contact
information, can be found on the Company's website –
www.ballard.com.
Ballard will continue to support the Company's existing
customers where current generation
FCvelocity®-9SSL fuel cell stack technology is
used.
About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP; TSX: BLDP) provides clean
energy products that reduce customer costs and risks, and helps
customers solve difficult technical and business challenges in
their fuel cell programs. To learn more about Ballard, please visit
www.ballard.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements concerning
anticipated product performance and other characteristics. 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
Ballard's actual results to be materially different, including
general economic and regulatory changes, detrimental reliance on
third parties, successfully achieving our business plans and
achieving and sustaining profitability. For a detailed discussion
of these and other risk factors that could affect Ballard's future
performance, please refer to Ballard's most recent Annual
Information Form. Readers should not place undue reliance on
Ballard's forward-looking statements and Ballard assumes no
obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward
looking statements, other than as required under applicable
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.