Tata Motors has placed an order for 15 of Ballard Power Systems’ 70-kilowatt (kW) FCmoveTM-HD fuel cell modules to power 15 of Tata’s zero-emission Fuel Cell Electric Buses (FCEBs).
By 2022, Ballard expects to have delivered all of the modules. The buses will be deployed in Faridabad, the largest city in the Delhi-based National Capital Region.
Tata will provide 15 buses to Indian Oil Corporation Limited’s Research & Development Centre (IOCL). Tata and IOCL will collaborate to investigate the commercial potential of fuel cell technology, including testing, maintenance, and operation of FCEBs in real-world public transportation environments in India’s National Capital Region. The hydrogen fuel for the Ballard modules in these buses will be generated and distributed by IOCL.
“We are thrilled to be working again with Tata Motors on this ground-breaking opportunity in India,” noted Rob Campbell, Ballard’s Chief Commercial Officer. “Ballard has unmatched experience powering buses in operation in many parts of the world, where we have demonstrated industry-leading performance. We are keen to engage with the largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in India, a market for which approximately 50,000 new buses are built annually.”
Mr. Campbell added, “The FCmoveTM product is Ballard’s 8th-generation engine for transit buses and reflects high performance, simplified design and reduced cost from our prior generation product. As always, Ballard will work closely with Tata to ensure seamless integration of our engine into its FCEB design, along with the highest level of on-road performance.”
India’s government and industry are increasingly looking at hydrogen – and particularly green hydrogen produced using renewable energy sources – as an alternative fuel to combat pollution levels in the country. This includes the National Capital Region, where winter months see dangerous levels of polluted air. Moreover, a new energy transition coalition called India H2 Alliance was recently formed by major industry players, with a focus on commercializing hydrogen technologies and systems to create net-zero carbon pathways in India.
