A UTC Power PureMotion 120 System hydrogen fuel cell in an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit (AC Transit) hybrid electric bus has set a performance record by running more than 10,000 hours on its original cell stack, the Hartford, Ct.-based manufacturer announced recently.
More than 50% efficient, around double that of diesel-powered buses, the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is powered by hydrogen that isn’t produced from natural gas. As a result, AC Transit’s hydrogen fuel cell-powered hybrid electric buses emit nothing but water vapor. They produce zero greenhouse gas emissions and no particulates.