Ballard Power Systems is a recognized world leader in the design, development and manufacture of zero-emission proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells.  Ballard is commercializing fuel cells for the transportation market and electric drives for both fuel cell and battery-powered electric vehicles, power electronics and fuel cells for both portable and stationary power generation markets.  Ballard is also commercializing electric drives for fuel cell and other electric vehicles, power conversion products and is a Tier 1 automotive supplier of friction materials for power train components.

In the area of fuel cells, Ballard’s near term technology goal is to demonstrate next generation automotive fuel cell stack technology that meets -25° C freeze start, costs less than $85/kW when manufactured in high volumes, and achieves at least 2,000 hours of lifetime.  This goal forms part of Ballard’s Technology "Road Map", which lays out key technology milestones Ballard intends to meet on the path to developing commercially viable automotive fuel cell stack technology by 2010.  Ballard’s long-term target cost for the fuel cell stack, like the US DOE’s, is $30 USD/kW by 2010.  Stack technology innovation, new materials development, and system optimization are the drivers for achieving this cost target.

Ballard is involved in several demonstration projects aimed at moving its fuel cell technology closer to commercialization.  These include:

• Vancouver Fuel Cell Vehicle Program (VFCVP)
  The VFCVP is a five-year $9 million joint initiative between Fuel Cells Canada, Ford Motor Company, the Government of Canada, through Technology Early Action Measures support, and the Government of BC. This project will test and demonstrate five Ballard-powered Ford Focus fuel cell vehicles in 'real world' conditions in British Columbia's lower mainland, and is the first fleet demonstration of fuel cell vehicles in Canada. Demonstrating the third generation Ford fuel cell vehicles will provide valuable information on performance, durability, and reliability that can be applied toward the evolution of fuel cell vehicles to the commercial marketplace in the transition to a hydrogen economy.
  
  
• Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority
  The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) contracted with Gillig Corporation of Hayward and Ballard Power Systems of Burnaby, Canada to build three hydrogen-powered, zero-emission fuel-cell buses (ZEBs) for use in regular transit service. Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. supplies the liquid hydrogen, which is converted to hydrogen gas at VTA’s fueling station at Cerone. The partnership produced three clean-running, low-noise, fuel-cell buses, which are operating in regular VTA service.
  
  
• European Fuel Cell Bus Project (CUTE) – Ballard heavy-duty fuel cell engines are inside 30 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses running in revenue transit service in 10 European cities. The two-year demonstration program includes both the European Fuel Cell Bus Project (nine cities) and the Ecological City Transport System in Reykjavik, Iceland. The European Union has led the way in the adoption of zero-emission fuel cell technology.
  
  
• Sustainable Transport Energy for Perth (STEP) – Three Ballard® fuel cell-powered buses commenced route operations in Perth, Australia on September 27, 2004.  As of November, 2004, each bus was working more than eight hours per day, five days per week.  The buses had traveled more than 8,000 km and had operated for more than 400 hours.

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