Hydrogenics Advanced Fuel Cell Vehicle Technology Demonstration for Transit Bus

This final report documents the design, building, integration, testing, and demonstration of Hydrogenics USA, Inc.’s advanced hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system for heavy-duty vehicles under the California Energy Commission Agreement Number ARV-15-001. This project sought to demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of an advanced hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system that would lead to market adoption and product commercialization. 

Despite facing challenges, the project successfully demonstrated the technical and commercial viability of hydrogen fuel cell propulsion technology purposely designed and developed for transit buses. It demonstrated a simplified integration and development process of an advanced fuel cell propulsion system into a transit bus. Funding from the California Energy Commission was critical to the overall success of Hydrogenics Corporation. By selecting Hydrogenics, the California Energy Commission’s grant review process provided a valuable third-party evaluation of its business model for Cummins Inc.’s due diligence before its acquisition of the company in 2019.  

The Hydrogenics Advanced Fuel Cell Bus successfully operated on several transit bus routes, including SunLine Transit Agency’s most challenging route. The Hydrogenics Advanced Fuel Cell Bus represents a meaningful step in the hydrogen fuel cell industry. For Cummins, it is an important building block in becoming a leader in fuel cell powertrains for heavy-duty mobility applications.