Hyundai Delivers First Fuel Cell Vehicle to AC Transit

December 22, 2005

Hyundai Motor Company delivered the first of 10 Hyundai and Kia Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit). The ceremony marked the beginning of a five-year demonstration and validation project to evaluate fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen infrastructure technologies.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a grant to Hyundai, Chevron Corp. and UTC Power for research into hydrogen-powered fuel cell technology for automotive applications. The team began testing in February 2005 when Chevron opened its first hydrogen energy station at the Hyundai America Technical Center (HATCI). Hyundai will also place fleets at Southern California Edison and U.S. Army facilities to develop and implement a practical, business-based hydrogen energy infrastructure and associated technologies as a part of the program.

Hyundai plans to place two additional Tucson FCEVs with AC Transit in early 2006, and will round out the fleet with six Kia Sportage FCEV models in late 2006 and 2007. HATCI engineers will support and monitor the AC Transit fleet vehicles for the duration of the program.

Source: Hyundai Motor Co.