Hydrogenics Awarded German Road Certification for Public Transit Vehicle
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario--Dec. 1, 2005--| Fuel Cell Powered "Midi Bus" now available for campus settings and city centers with stringent emissions regulations |
Hydrogenics Corporation (TSX:HYG) today announced that Germany's TUV Rheinland Group (www.tuv.com), a leading international technical service provider, awarded Hydrogenics' fuel cell 'Midi Bus' road certification, allowing it to be put into full public transit service in Germany. The certification stipulates that the bus meets all required safety requirements and operates in accordance with all regulations as they apply for use by public transit authorities.
The hybrid power architecture was developed by Hydrogenics, on a Technobus Gulliver midi bus platform, with financial support from the European Union and the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia. This government-initiated project was undertaken to address the need for light duty transit vehicles capable of operating in urban and other environmental sensitive areas without the emissions typically associated with traditional diesel buses, or the limitations associated with battery-powered buses. The fuel cell hybrid system uses an integrated HyPM(R) 10 (kW) power module to effectively triple the range compared to the existing battery powertrain, improving performance and profitability for transit authorities without a corresponding increase in pollutants.
"Our fuel cell power module strategy is two-pronged," said Pierre Rivard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydrogenics. "First off, we work with OEMs interested in integrating our HyPM power modules into their products and, secondly, we develop market driven end-user products incorporating our power modules. By applying this latter strategy we are able to more aggressively drive our commercialization efforts than is sometimes possible through a pure OEM sales strategy. In the case of the Midi Bus, we believe this initiative will create the kind of interest that will compel bus manufacturers to become more directly involved with us in the market development of this product, not only in Germany but in other jurisdictions as well," added Rivard.
The European Union recently announced its upcoming HyCHAIN project which will provide meaningful incentives to transit authorities to operate these zero emission buses as part of their urban fleets. Hydrogenics is now marketing the fuel cell Midi Bus - the only certified 'reduced scale' fuel cell bus on the market today - to transit authorities in Germany and other countries in Europe. Capable of transporting up to 22 people, the Midi Bus is targeted towards historical sites and city centers, as well as in industrial or municipal campus settings, such as fairs, exhibitions and airports, where stringent emissions regulations apply. Today there are approximately 600 battery-powered electric buses deployed in such settings in numerous European cities.
Further details of the Midi Bus can be found under Projects on the Hydrogenics web site www.hydrogenics.com.
About Hydrogenics
Hydrogenics Corporation (www.hydrogenics.com) is a leading global developer of clean energy solutions, advancing the Hydrogen Economy by commercializing hydrogen and fuel cell products. The company has a portfolio of products and capabilities serving the hydrogen and energy markets of today and tomorrow. Hydrogenics, based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, has operations in North America, Europe and Asia.
