UTC Power's Fuel Cell Drives World's Most Advanced Transit Bus

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn., Oct. 3, 2005 -- UTC Power's state- of-the-art, zero-emission fuel cell technology is powering Van Hool's A330 transit bus, the world's newest and most advanced hybrid-electric fuel cell bus. UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. company, is a leading fuel cell manufacturer.

This A330 is a unique combination fuel cell and hybrid-electric bus. UTC Power's advanced PureMotionTM120 and ISE Corporation's highly efficient hybrid-electric drive system enable the bus to perform at twice the efficiency of a conventional diesel-powered bus.

Van Hool, based in Lier, Belgium, manufactures urban transport buses, luxury over-the-road coaches, and heavy-duty truck trailers. Four fuel-cell- powered A330s will be in service in the North American market within a year.

A notable advantage of PureMotion(TM) technology is its ability to combine pure hydrogen stored aboard the bus with oxygen drawn from the air at near- ambient pressure to produce zero-emission, highly efficient power.

"Because our fuel cell operates at near-ambient pressure, we do not need a compressor. This, combined with the hybrid-drive system, greatly increases the fuel efficiency and the reliability of the system," said Jan van Dokkum, president of UTC Power. "This design also results in an unbelievably quiet bus."

UTC Power has developed fuel cell power plants for mass transit projects in California and recently delivered three power plants to AC Transit in Oakland and one to Sunline Transit in Palm Springs. Fuel cell buses are among the "green" initiatives some transportation officials around the world are adopting to start the transition to a cleaner and quieter hydrogen economy now.

PureMotion(TM) is the result of a research and development partnership between UTC Power and the U.S. Department of Defense through the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides high- technology products and services to the commercial building and aerospace industries. Its UTC Power unit, based in South Windsor, Conn., includes UTC Fuel Cells and is a full-service provider of environmentally advanced power solutions. With more than 40 years of experience, UTC Power is the leading developer and producer of fuel cells for on-site power, transportation and space flight applications.