Exide Signs Agreement With Ballard

Exide Technologies of Alpharetta, Georgia, has signed an agreement with Ballard Power Systems of Vancouver, British Columbia, to develop an on-board hybrid hydrogen fuel cell and lead-acid battery energy system for the forklift truck (or materials handling) market. Over the next five years, Exide plans to meet its fuel cell needs in the forklift truck market exclusively with Ballard fuel cells.

This program will use Ballard’s Mark1020 ACS™ hydrogen fuel cell stack and Exide’s ELEMENT™ valve- regulated lead-acid batteries. The program illustrates the flexibility of fuel cells and batteries, while opening a new channel to the materials handling market. The hybrid fuel-cell battery system also is anticipated to provide incremental revenue opportunities for both companies.

Initial prototypes will be delivered to the U.S. Department of Defense.