Beiqi Foton to begin trial of fuel cell buses

Beiqi Foton Motor plans to put four fuel cell buses into trial operation in Beijing this summer, reports Gasgoo.com. The company recently displayed a city bus model powered by third-generation zero-emission fuel cell technology at the Beijing Auto Show. It has built four city buses powered by the fuel cells and plans to begin trial operations in Beijing, following government approval. According to Ouyang Minggao, a professor from Tsing University and a chief expert in charge of the fuel cell technology project, this will be the first zero-emission vehicle in China. “If its trial run in July is successful, this will prove our success in the research and development of the fuel cell technology,” Ouyang said. The Foton fuel cell bus is reportedly codenamed Ou-V Bus or Eu-V Bus and features a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery in conjunction with the fuel cell. The OEM plans to produce a limited number of fuel cell buses later this year, with production levels kept low due to high manufacturing costs. (May 6, 2008)