The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has mobilized $7 million in funding to support projects tied to hydrogen fuel cell technologies and the related vehicle refueling infrastructure.
The projects being funded include the following:
- Center for Transportation and the Environment ($3 million DOE investment): Based in Atlanta, the Center for Transportation and the Environment will develop a fuel cell hybrid electric walk-in delivery van with a 150-mile range per fueling. The project will also retrofit 15 UPS delivery vans with fuel cell hybrid powertrains and test these vehicles at distribution facilities across California. The University of Texas' Center for Electromechanics, Electric Vehicles International, Hydrogenics USA and Valence Technology will also participate in this project.
- FedEx Express ($3 million DOE investment): Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., FedEx Express will develop a hydrogen fuel cell delivery truck with a range of up to 150 miles per fueling and test 20 of these trucks at FedEx facilities in Tennessee and California. Plug Power and Smith Electric Vehicles will join FedEx in this project.
- Air Products and Chemicals Inc. ($900,000 DOE investment): Located in Allentown, Pa., Air Products is partnering with Structural Composites Industries to develop a cost-effective tube trailer for hydrogen delivery and storage that can withstand high pressures. Air Products will also test this new technology under real-world operating conditions at hydrogen fueling stations in Southern California.
