Ballard Considering Hybrid Vehicle Strategy

Canadian fuel cell company Ballard Power Systems is rethinking its strategy in light of the emergence of hybrid electric vehicles as an accepted “bridging technology” between combustion engines and fuel cell vehicles.

Ballard President and Chief Executive Dennis Campbell said that Ballard and its automotive partners Ford and DaimlerChrysler are discussing a range of actions, including development of a light-duty fuel cell program.

The emergence of hybrid electric vehicles “has really changed the game ” said Campbell. Until recently, hybrids were viewed as a technological curiosity, he said, “but it’s now become apparent that the automakers are probably going to have to play in that space.”

However, the basic design platform for hybrids is essentially the same as that of fuel cell vehicles. The alliance partners want to join forces in this field so they’re not designing and developing separate engine architectures, and the automakers want to be more involved in integration, Campbell said. “The OEMs view it as very important that they link up the systems integration and the vehicle integration, and do it together”.