Embracing the future of sustainable transportation, Ballard Power Systems, a preeminent force within the realm of clean energy solutions, confirmed the signing of a letter of intent (LOI) with Ford Trucks, the international brand of Ford Otosan, in an unprecedented move towards developing hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle prototypes.
This ambitious partnership assigns Ballard to supply its high-performance FCmove-XD 120 kW fuel cell engines to Ford Trucks, with the initial purchase order consisting of two units. These are projected to be delivered to Ford Trucks in 2023, marking a pivotal step in the evolution of heavy-duty transport.
Operational under Ford Trucks’ prestigious banner, the fuel cell engines will act as the beating heart of the F-MAX Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) development project, a massive 44-ton long-haul tractor truck. The assembly process of this ground-breaking, fuel cell-infused vehicle will take place in Turkey.
Moving beyond its prototypic phase, Ford Trucks envisions initiating European Ten-T corridor demonstrations in 2025, synchronously aligning with the vision outlined by the European Union’s Horizon Europe ZEFES (Zero Emission Freight EcoSystem) project. This avant-garde initiative paves the way for Ballard to surface as the potential front-runner for the serial production of fuel cell-powered F-MAX trucks, contingent on the successful fruition of the development program.
A nexus of truck and trailer OEMs, suppliers, logistic operators, and research partners binds the ZEFES project goals together. The central ambition: to propel the adoption of Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) within the framework of long-distance heavy transport. Efficiency augmentation, harnessing mass production capabilities, and showcasing these pioneering technologies in day-to-day operations sit at the core of this project’s focus. Come 2025, ZEFES envisions a fleet of nine diverse vehicle concepts collectively covering over 1 million kilometers across EU corridors, under the watchful guidance of a cutting-edge digital platform.
David Mucciacciaro, Ballard’s Chief Commercial Officer, projected an air of enthusiasm about this alliance, stating, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Ford Trucks to facilitate market adoption in Europe. We look forward to validating Ballard as their preferred fuel cell supplier and supporting the integration of their heavy-duty truck platform. Ford Trucks is an important ‘platform’ win for Ballard and a key partner for our high-growth potential truck vertical. We are excited by their ambition towards scaled deployments of F-MAX fuel cell trucks. Our FCmove-XDTM is an outstanding match for the range, refueling, payload, and packaging requirements of long-haul tractor customers.”
Ford Trucks’ Vice President, Emrah Duman, reflecting on the company’s dedication to sustainable alternatives, added, “At Ford Trucks, we invest in alternative technologies that will define the automobile industry’s future in accordance with our sustainability aims. Electrification, followed by hydrogen technology, is one of our top priorities. Our first Fuel Cell Electric-powered Vehicle F-MAX, which we will develop as part of the ZEFES project, will be a significant milestone. We are thrilled to be working with Ballard on this critical project. This long-term relationship will generate enormous value in the future. We have a wide range of promising technological talents and capabilities, and our work is progressing quickly and successfully. As Ford Trucks, we will continue to pioneer future sustainable transportation technologies with R&D investments”
Ballard’s partnership with Ford Trucks signals a major shift within the trucking industry towards a future of sustainable, efficient, and high-performance transport solutions. Their joint dedication to furthering the reach of the automotive industry carves out a path filled with sustainability and innovation.
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