Ballard Power Systems Inc. (Vancouver, BC) announced that its Mark 900 Series fuel cell has powered DaimlerChrysler Corp.'s (Auburn Hills, MI) NECAR 5 fuel cell vehicle (FCV) in its historic drive from San Francisco, CA, to Washington, DC. The successful completion of the 13-day, 3,000-mile (4,800km) endurance test is the world's first for a fuel cell vehicle.
"This historic journey demonstrates the capabilities of Ballard fuel cells as we look to power the future," said Firoz Rasul, Ballard's chairman and CEO. "The valuable system and operational data gathered by Ballard's Transportation Division engineers will play an important role in the development of our commercial fuel cell engines. This endurance test provides Ballard with real-world experience in testing its fuel cell engine in a variety of conditions, including differing altitudes, temperatures and humidities that cannot be matched through lab testing. Through this testing, Ballard gained significant insight into optimizing the operating parameters of the complete fuel cell engine, including the fuel cell, fuel processor and overall system controls."
