Burbank to receive first fuel cell bus in Calif.

The City of Burbank, Calif., will soon be home to California’s first hydrogen fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric bus demonstration project, with funding provided through a grant from the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission, as well as monies and contributions from other public and private entities.

The timing of the two-year project, designed to demonstrate the implementation of a viable zero emission transit solution, coincides with California’s new Zero Emission Bus Regulations, which require transit agencies with 200 buses or more to purchase zero emission buses as early as the year 2011.

Mobile Energy Solutions will be assembling the 35-foot, 37-passenger bus. The lightweight composite body bus, provided by Martin Marietta, will house two Hydrogenics 16kW fuel-cell modules and lithium titanate batteries.

During the second year of the project, the bus will service existing Burbank Bus routes, with the hydrogen tanks refilled and its batteries recharged at the end of each service day using a charger plugged into the electric grid.

The Hydrogen Burbank Bus is expected to begin logging revenue service hours in the fourth quarter of 2008.