Canadian manufacturer Ballard Power Systems said it will launch a new generation of fuel cell modules for public transport at Busworld in Brussels in early October. The module, branded FCmove-SC, delivers a peak output of at least 75 kW and is designed to improve performance while reducing costs for bus operators.
Ballard, which already has more than 850 fuel cell-equipped buses in service across Europe, said the new FCmove-SC builds on its existing product family but offers several technical advances. These include 25% higher volumetric power density through an integrated DC/DC housing, a 25% increase in maximum cooler outlet temperature to 75°C for simpler thermal management, and 40% fewer components. “The FCmove-SC is the latest product on Ballard’s new core product platform, which anchors broader advances targeting the industry’s core challenge: narrowing the gap in cost of ownership parity with legacy diesel systems,” said Kevin Colbow, senior vice president and chief technology officer at Ballard.
The company said the FCmove-SC is optimised for consistent output and higher thermal reserves, with subsystems designed to support up to 25,000 operating hours in typical public transport duty cycles. To complement the new module, Ballard is also expanding its fleet services to integrate predictive maintenance and analytics. Its FCServiceCloud platform will allow operators to monitor real-time performance and apply preventive maintenance to maximise uptime. “Our focus is to deliver practical, measurable steps that move fuel cell buses closer to diesel parity,” said David Mucciacciaro, senior vice president and chief commercial officer. “We’re benefitting from the most operational experience in the bus segment and on insights from our long-standing customers, to deliver a solution that simplifies vehicle integration, reduces operating and maintenance costs – backed by services that keep fleets reliably on the road.”
Ballard will exhibit the FCmove-SC alongside other transport-sector solutions at Busworld in Brussels from October 4 to 9. The company said the launch is part of its broader “diesel parity” strategy to make fuel cell buses more competitive with conventional powertrains.
