Ballard to Support VW Fuel Cell Research

Vancouver-based Ballard Power Systems Inc. has signed a four-year deal to supply engineering services that support fuel-cell research at Volkswagen AG.

The contract has a value of US$58 million-$97 million and could be extended for two years, according to Ballard.

VW says the companies will focus on creating next-generation hydrogen fuel cells for the carmaker's HyMotion demonstration fleet. Ballard, a pioneer in the technology, claims it has boosted durability and cut fuel-cell costs 60% over the past several years.

VW built its first fuel cell vehicle, a 20-kW unit, in 1996. Its first HyMotion test vehicle was a Bora sedan fitted in 2000 with a 30-kW fuel cell. It introduced an 80-kW unit in a Touran MPV in 2004.

The company's most recent iteration is a revamped 80-kW system that has been highly integrated into a Tiguan crossover, a key step in preparing the technology for mass production. The system uses a lithium-ion battery to deliver supplemental power during acceleration. An improved 700-bar (10,000 psi) storage tank holds enough compressed hydrogen gas to give the Tiguan a driving range of about 230 km (143 miles).