UTC Power Transit Bus Fuel Cell System Sets Durability Record

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn., June 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, today announced it has set durability records for its latest generation transit bus fuel cell system.

A PureMotion^® Model 120 fuel cell powerplant aboard an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) bus operating in the Greater Oakland, California, area has surpassed 7,000 hours in service with the original cell stacks and no cell replacements, and another has exceeded 6,000 hours.

"Based on industry data we've seen, these durability milestones are unmatched in the industry," said Ken Stewart, UTC Power Vice President-Transportation.  "We've worked very hard at UTC Power over the past several years to improve our fuel cell stack durability, which is recognized as a key challenge to commercializing fuel cell vehicles.  These operating hour numbers demonstrate our significant progress."

Three of AC Transit's buses are equipped with UTC Power fuel cell systems and have now traveled more than 255,000 miles, with an average fuel economy that is 65 percent better than the control fleet of diesel buses running the same routes and duty cycles.

Fuel cell buses produce no harmful tailpipe emissions and provide a smooth, quiet ride for passengers. Transit buses with fuel cell systems can have a major impact on greenhouse gas reduction, ranging from a 43 percent reduction over diesel buses if hydrogen is supplied from the reformation of natural gas, up to a 100 percent reduction when hydrogen is generated from on-site renewable sources like solar and wind power.

"This is the type of result we and our industry are looking for as we make steady progress toward proving the commercial viability of fuel cell buses for public transit. We're looking forward to applying the success of UTC Power's newest fuel cell systems in our new fleet of 12 next-generation buses, as they enter passenger service over the next six months," said Jaimie Levin, AC Transit's Director of Alternative Fuels Policy and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Program Manager.

UTC Power is part of United Technologies Corp., which provides energy-efficient products and services to the aerospace and building industries.  Based in South Windsor, Conn., UTC Power is a world leader in developing and producing fuel cells for on-site power at buildings and for transportation applications.

AC Transit serves more than 1.5 million people in 13 cities (including Oakland and Berkeley) and two counties in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area.  With a fleet of 600 buses, it carries more than 67 million passengers annually.

SOURCE UTC Power