The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), in partnership with the Fuel Cell Buyers Consortium, initiated an Advanced Technology Transit Bus (ATTB) development program. The MSRC co-funding supported four (4) tasks, as follows:
1. Identify and select a fuel to be used in a fuel cell-powered ATTB and provide supporting documentation;
2. Develop and implement dynamic computer simulation of the ATTB using fuel cell power systems including: proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system, fuel processor, water/thermal management, balance of power plant, fuel cell power system transients, system operation, and technology trade-offs and life cycle cost trade-offs;
3. Design the fuel cell power system to be installed in the ATTB prototype for testing and evaluation, leading to production of a commercial prototype;
4. Provide documentation of analysis results.
From 1996 through 2002, the Fuel Cell Buyers Consortium worked towards accomplishing the contract tasks. In September 2002, a complete review of the project status was conducted after the transfer of project management to the MTA's Vehicle Technology Department. It was determined that the ATTB, as built and tested, was not the proper platform to install and test a fuel cell system.
From the inception of the project, technology has moved beyond the capabilities of the original ATTB platform. New technologies provides smaller, simpler components and software more conducive to a fuel cell power system. Thus, the work initiated under the Fuel Cell Buyers Consortium will continue; however, the emphasis will now be focused on a more reliable, lighter weight vehicle structurally designed to carry the loads required with a fuel cell vehicle.
MSRC funds were used to co-fund each of the four tasks described in the Project Description, above.
All regions within the SCAQMD will benefit from technology advancements made in the area of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles.
Prototype versions of zero-emission fuel cell transit buses are already deployed in revenue service. Experience gained from these initital deployments will be used to refine commercial vehicles that will be available and applicable to most transit operators within the South Coast AQMD.
This is a research oriented project, leading to the commercialization and deployment of zero-emmission transit buses. On average, a zero-emission transit bus would result in an annual NOx reduction of approximately 880 pounds as compared to a new, model year 2003 diesel-fueled transit bus.
The Final Report includes a Project Abstract, Summary and Conclusions, Recommendations, and a summary of previously-submitted quarterly reports.