April, 2015 | US Hybrid

On Thursday August 6th, AC Transit announced that the leading fuel cell power plant installed in an AC Transit bus set a new record after completing over 20,000 hours service with zero fuel cell stack failure. This fuel cell power plant was originally developed by the former UTC Power PEM transportation division, which was acquired by US Hybrid in 2013. This is a major global fuel cell industry milestone, as the second generation fuel cell power plant has exceeded all performance and durability expectations. To date, the total AC Transit fuel cell fleet mileage is over 1,250,000 miles. The achievement of 20,000 hours of continuous service has notable environmental benefits, as it has reduced CO2 emissions by 1,134,000 lbs. This substantial emissions reduction is the equivalent of planting 13,189 trees or removing 108 passenger vehicles from the road for one year.“We are proud and excited to have been a part of this achievement. This milestone is proof that fuel cell technology is an environmentally and economically viable product for the future of mass transit. We at US Hybrid are pleased to support quiet and reliable zero emissions public transportation.” – Abas Goodarzi, President and CEO, US HybridUS Hybrid manufactures the fuel cell power plant at its South Windsor, Connecticut facility. It is the only “MADE IN USA” fuel cell power plant powering the transit and trucking industry. US Hybrid was recently awarded contracts to integrate its next generation integrated fuel cell power plant in five class 8 trucks for goods movements for the Houston and San Pedro ports. The fuel cell power plants have comparable reliability and lifetime to those of conventional diesel engines with after treatment while offering more than double the fuel economy and zero emissions.The AC Transit fuel cell bus fleet, serviced by US Hybrid, is part of the Zero Emissions Bay Area (ZEBA) demonstration. This demonstration is monitored by the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to compare the performance of fuel cell electric buses (FCEB) to conventional buses. NREL’s latest evaluations show that FCEBs continue to perform well and are on a readiness track for commercialization. A US Hybrid team supports AC Transit with diagnostics, parts, and training. To date, US Hybrid has trained 22 AC Transit staff to maintain the fuel cell buses in a similar fashion to conventional diesel buses. There are currently 12 zero emissions FCEBs running in the AC Transit fleet as well as one in the Flint MTA fleet. This latest milestone of over 20,000 hours of continuous power plant operation exceeds the DOE/FTA target of 18,000 hours by 2016.About AC TransitAC Transit is the third largest transit agency in California, serving over 56 million passengers a year throughout a 364-square mile region. For over 60 years, AC Transit has been recognized as a national leader in the transit industry.The public bus system serves 13 cities and adjacent unincorporated areas in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. AC Transit has been serving the East Bay since 1960, taking over from the Key System and its predecessors, which carried passengers via buses, horse-drawn rail, electric streetcars, and ferries over the previous 100 years.AC Transit’s mission is to provide safe, convenient, courteous, and reliable transit service.About US HybridUS Hybrid is the leading US manufacturer of fuel cell systems for medium- and heavy-duty transit and goods movement. US Hybrid’s fuel cell production facility is located in South Windsor, Connecticut. Recently, under an FTA/CALSTART contract, US Hybrid completed a project that further reduced cost and enhanced reliability of the next generation of fuel cell power plants to commercialize them for transit buses and trucks.Established in 1999, US Hybrid provides technology and products for electric, hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles. Dr. Abas Goodarzi, President and founder of US Hybrid, has been at the forefront of electric and hybrid product development since 1980. Previously, Dr. Goodarzi was Senior Scientist/Technical Director at Hughes/GM where he headed the GM EV1 powertrain development.

US Hybrid Powered AC Transit Bus Fleet Sets Fuel Celloperation Durability Record

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