13 Nov 2006 | Ref. 329/2006
JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. — The Federal Transit Administration has selected BAE Systems to develop advanced hydrogen fuel-cell technology on a hybrid electric transit bus. The $5.35 million FTA award is part of the agency’s National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development Program. The award will be distributed over four years by WestStart CALSTART, a non-profit organization that develops advanced transportation technologies.
“Hybrid propulsion has proven its effectiveness in reducing vehicle emissions and fuel consumption,” said John Boesel, president and CEO of WestStart CALSTART. “The addition of fuel-cell technology is a natural progression in the development of clean alternative energy, and we are pleased to join with BAE Systems — a company recognized for its pioneering work in hybrid drive systems — on this important project.”
BAE Systems will lead the integration of a fuel-cell auxiliary power unit on a next-generation Orion VII hybrid transit bus from DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses. The diesel-electric propulsion system on the bus will be functionally similar to those the company currently produces for three of the four largest North American hybrid bus fleets — New York, Toronto, and San Francisco — with the addition of a fuel cell to power several accessory systems on the bus.
“There is an increasing emphasis on zero-emission technology and the need to reduce dependence on foreign oil,” said Hank McGlynn, vice president of Vehicle Systems for BAE Systems in Johnson City, N.Y. “This project helps take the nation a step closer to meeting these important goals.”
The fuel cell on the demonstration bus will use hydrogen to generate power, and water is the only waste product. It will support accessories such as air conditioning, air compressors, power steering, cooling fans and pumps, and a 28-volt electric power generator. The accessories, which consume a significant amount of energy, normally are powered by the bus’s diesel engine. Switching their power source to a fuel cell allows the engine to be shut off at bus stops and at traffic lights, making the bus quieter, cleaner, and more efficient compared to a conventional diesel bus.
BAE Systems is working with several partners on the program: DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America produces the Orion VII bus; Hydrogenics will supply the fuel cells; and the San Francisco Municipal Railway will facilitate a year-long revenue-service test of the new system.
“We applaud BAE Systems in its endeavor to advance the state-of-the-art of its series electric propulsion system to include fuel cell technology to power vehicle accessories in our Orion VII,” said Andreas Strecker, president and CEO of DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America.
WestStart CALSTART is a non-profit regional consortium in the western states and Canada that promotes energy efficiency and clean-air transportation technologies. BAE Systems is a founding member of CALSTART and is represented on its board of directors.
BAE Systems’ work with fuel cells dates back to the late 1990s, when it participated in FTA-funded hybrid fuel cell projects with Georgetown University, using fuel cells for bus propulsion.
About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is the premier trans-Atlantic defense and aerospace company, delivering a full range of products and services for air, land, and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions, and customer support services. BAE Systems, with more than 86,000 employees worldwide, had 2005 sales that exceeded $28 billion.
For further information, contact:
Larry Stone, BAE Systems
Tel: +1 607 770 3944 Mobile: +1 607 759 2545
lawrence.w.stone@baesystems.com
Susan Lenover, BAE Systems
Tel : +1 703 907 8259 Mobile :+1 703 850 1621
susan.lenover@baesystems.com
