CITY OF
BURBANK TO PREMIER WORLD’S FIRST PLUG-IN FUEL CELL TRANSIT BUS
Demonstration Project to Launch with Zero Emissions Vehicle in Spring 2009
Burbank, Calif. (December 2008) – The City of
Burbank has been selected as a national test market for a new zero-emissions, ultra-quiet
prototype bus that uses a hydrogen fuel cell instead of a diesel or gasoline engine. The
breakthrough vehicle will be unveiled in a spring 2009 Downtown Burbank ceremony and then
go into immediate service on various routes within the City's BurbankBus network.
Designed and fabricated by Colorado-based Proterra, the revolutionary vehicle can travel
250 miles before needing to be recharged, runs at double the fuel economy of a diesel bus
and releases nothing but water from the engine exhaust. In addition to being created and
built in this country, it relies on power that is 100% derived from U.S. sources, thereby
reducing dependence on foreign energy.
The vehicle features several world-firsts for public transportation:
It is the first-ever light-weight composite bus that is purpose-built to
be a plug-in hybrid, offering the advantage of super fuel efficiency
It is the first to apply mass-produced smaller output (< 50 kW or
< 67 HP) automotive fuel cells as range extension to a plug-in hybrid bus, and as such
substantially reduces vehicle and lifetime operating costs
And it offers the world's first fast-charge battery technology, which is
capable of fully recharging the battery in a record 6 minutes. This allows buses to
re-power during driver rest breaks.
The technology is very similar to that used in 2010 next-generation
plug-in hybrid vehicles, such as the Chevy Volt. On-board computers regulate the
electrical needs of the engine by alternating between power fed by Proterra's TerraVolt
energy storage system, and power derived from the hydrogen fuel cells developed by
Hydrogenics Corporation. These cells are fed by pressure tanks located on the vehicle's
roof, and transform hydrogen and oxygen into water vapor and electricity to charge the
batteries. The vehicle may also be recharged by plugging into readily available wall
outlets, like many of the new hybrid cars.
"The significance of this milestone program is that we are able to harness the latest
transportation technology and put it into service for the public good," states
Johnathan Frank, Administrative Analyst with the Transportation Department of the City of
Burbank. "Zero-emissions will help the environment, which is a critical issue in
Southern California. We're excited to be the first program of its kind in the state."
Introducing this emerging fuel technology is just part of the matrix of new ideas that
mark this radical transportation redesign. Other factors that were considered include
vehicle weight and maneuverability. To address the weight issue, the bus was reconfigured
to 35 feet long, shaving off space of about five feet that is typically devoted to
accommodating bulky diesel engines. The hydrogen vehicle's more compact length reduces the
total weight load and contributes to fuel efficiency while maintaining equal passenger
capacity (37 seated, 30 standing).
The outer shell of the bus was also taken into account. The traditional stamped sheet
metal exterior was replaced with a sleek molded composite frame. The result not only
reduces the vehicle's overall weight, but allows for an impressive streamline, space-age
profile.
"Working with the City of Burbank will give this new technology a wonderful
boost," states Joshua Goldman, Director, Business Development for Proterra.
"This real-life demonstration within a thriving public transportation system will
give us the learning tools to advance this emerging and much-needed alternative
technology."
For further information on hydrogen vehicle technology, please visit the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory website at www.nrel.gov. To discover how it is being exploited
for public use, such was the BurbankBus initiative, please visit www.proterraonline.com and www.hydrogenics.com.
Other agencies involved in this pioneering project include California Air Resource Board
(CARB), California Energy Commission and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
The public is asked to please call 818.238.5300 or visit www.burbankbus.org for mor
information
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