Zero-emission fuel-cell truck unveiled at California clean-transport expo

US Hybrid Inc, a California-based company, announced its joint venture with Jiangsu Dewei Advanced Materials Co, and unveiled a zero-emission Class 8 fuel-cell port drayage truck during the “Advanced Clean Transportation Expo” in Long Beach, California.
The truck features US Hybrid’s PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) fuel-cell engine. 
The truck, which will be operated by Total Transportation Solutions Inc (TTSI), is one of two demonstration tractors scheduled for delivery at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
"TTSI is excited to lead the demonstration of zero-emission fuel-cell technology for port drayage in the San Pedro Ports," said Vic LaRosa, TTSI president and chief executive officer.
Wayne Nastri, executive officer of California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District, said: "Demonstrating the viability of zero-emission trucks for goods movement is a vital step toward southern California meeting its federally mandated standards for healthy air." 
The expansion of production facilities in the United States and China will enable the company to build and deliver 2,000 fuel-cell engines per year in the US and 2,000 in China. The higher-volume production capability will enable fleets to realise a comparable return on investment as other clean-fuel engines.
"Dewei is committed to the successful development of fuel-cell technology for commercial buses and trucks, as evidenced by our $42.8-million investment in Chinese fuel-cell production and establishment of a $428-million industrial fund," said Zhou Jianming, Dewei chairman. "This new partnership with US Hybrid will enable US FuelCell to meet market demand cost-competitively in China, North America and Europe."
US Hybrid president and CEO Dr Abas Goodarzi, a 35-year veteran of the electric, hybrid and fuel-cell industries, said: "Our joint venture with Dewei will dramatically increase the availability of PEM fuel-cell engines for commercial vehicles globally. 
"Given that heavy-duty engines are the leading source of smog-forming emissions in many metropolitan areas throughout the world, we are thrilled to provide an economically viable zero-tailpipe-emission solution to help cities achieve their air-quality improvement and climate-change mitigation goals."