This new vehicle is the result of a partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (Champaign, Illinois), the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, North Dakota), and ePower Synergies, Inc. (Cordova, Illinois). The objectives of this US Department of Defense funded program are to develop fuel cell vehicles and a portable hydrogen production and refueling system for military applications. The lift truck and its hydrogen powered, fuel cell hybrid power pack was integrated by ePower Synergies in Portland, Oregon. The truck offers high performance and quiet operation with no carbon monoxide or other harmful emissions. The forklift is currently on display at the EERC. It is has begun a one-year long demonstration and evaluation with the North Dakota National Guard.

“Hydrogen fuel cell technology is now, not tomorrow,” stated EERC Director Gerald Groenewold. “The key is to demonstrate that hydrogen vehicles are commercially and technologically viable and safe. Off-road applications are just the first wave—the EERC and its corporate partners are involved in the development of a variety of off-road hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which are providing a cornerstone for deployment of hydrogen fuel cell-powered highway vehicles.”

“One objective of this project is to evaluate the performance of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklift against a forklift powered with an internal combustion engine fueled with propane or diesel,” said Bruce Wood, president and CEO of ePower Synergies. “Customers typically prefer internal combustion engine-powered units as they deliver higher performance than battery electric units, but when noise and engine emissions are a problem, they use the battery-powered units. This fuel cell-powered forklift offers the best of both, and unlike the hours it takes to properly charge lift truck batteries, the fuel cell can be refueled with hydrogen gas in less than 5 minutes.”

“President Bush has said that we should expect children born today to have fuel cell powered cars when they start driving. Before this happens, their parents will be driving vehicles like this forklift. Fuel cell powered lift trucks are being shown today to be economical and practical in many applications, such as large new warehouse operation,” continued Wood.

Because the fuel cell forklift will be operating both inside and outside, and on a variety of surfaces, a European-produced pneumatic-tired, high-power, 80-volt drive system Hyster was selected for the transformation. “Because it’s a European-based vehicle, this application will provide us with very useful feedback and experience for our subsequent growth outside North America,” said Frank Trotter, President and CEO of General Hydrogen Corporation, manufacturer and designer of the Hydricity® fuel cell power pack used in the Hyster forklift (based in Richmond, British Columbia, near Vancouver).

ePower Synergies is a developer of clean vehicles and personal mobility systems based in Cordova, Illinois, with an office in Portland, Oregon. This is the second fuel cell-powered vehicle unveiled within the past year by ePower and the EERC. The world’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered ice resurfacer, the eP-ICEBEAR, was introduced in November 2005. 

Both the eP-ICEBEAR and the Hyster Forklift will be on display at the North Dakota State Fair, July 21-29, 2006, in Minot, North Dakota.

Contacts:
ePower Synergies: Amy Nielsen, VP Communications, 309-654-9299 ASNielsen@ePowerSynergies.com
EERC: Derek Walters, Communications Manager, 701-777-5113, dwalters@undeerc.org.
General Hydrogen: Nigel Horsley, Director, Investor and Public Relations, 
General Hydrogen Corporation Phone: 604.233.7676, nhorsley@generalhydrogen.com