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Zero- and Near Zero-Emission Freight Facilities Project: Next Generation Fuel Cell Delivery

The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) led a project to build and demonstrate four fuel cell hybrid-electric walk-in delivery vans using Linamar’s Gen 2.0 eAxle. The goal was to support the future commercialization of fuel cell vehicles for the parcel delivery market, reducing greenhouse gases, criteria pollutants, and toxic emissions. Linamar designed, built, and validated the eAxle; Roush Performance integrated the hybrid-electric propulsion system into Ford F-59 chassis; and Ballard Power Systems supplied 85-kW fuel cell engines. The vans operated in regular UPS delivery service for three months in West Sacramento, California. Hydrogen fuel was provided by Iwatani’s local station. Performance data was collected and analyzed to assess the project’s effectiveness and support broader market adoption.

Vehicles/Equipment Funded:

Under the Zero- and Near Zero-Emission Freight Facilities Project grant, CARB funded the following equipment:
  • Four (4) fuel cell hybrid electric delivery vans integrated by Linamar Corporation and Roush Performance.
  • Four (4) 85-kW fuel cell engines developed and built by Ballard Power Systems.

Lessons Learned:

  • Robust communication among all stakeholders is essential throughout all phases—design, build, risk mitigation, issue resolution, and deployment.
  • Global supply chain challenges made it difficult to replace failed components during vehicle validation. For projects involving lower technology readiness levels, teams should identify high-risk components early and secure backup suppliers from the outset.
  • Integrating pre-commercial technology requires thorough troubleshooting and validation of both new and off-the-shelf components. The team encountered significant delays during vehicle build and validation due to commercial parts being out of specification or failing when integrated with novel subsystems.

Status Updates:

  • The project team completed final vehicle and subsystem designs.
  • UPS will not continue to operate the fuel cell delivery vans due to the high cost of hydrogen at public fueling stations.
  • There is no immediate plan for the commercialization of a fuel cell delivery van by the project partners.

Technology:


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Vehicles / Equipment Status:​

Infrastructure Status:

View Final Report

Project Facts​

  • DATES: 02/04/2019 – 08/31/2024
  • GRANTEE: The Center for Transportation and the Environment
  • PARTNERS: Linamar Corporation, Ballard Power Systems, United Parcel Service (UPS), Roush Performance
  • GRANT NO.: G17-ZNZE-04

Grant Amount​

  • CARB Contribution: $5,831,866
  • Matching Funds: $5,838,236
  • PROJECT TOTAL: $11,670,102

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