Mercedes Benz to Open a Fuel Cell Technology Facility in BC

By: Kuljit Grewal  |   July 12th, 2012   |   Business, Cars, O Canada

One of the most acclaimed names in the automotive industry, Mercedes Benz is investing their hydrogen fuel cell research and production resources into Burnaby, B.C. The aim is to have the facility up and running by the end of this year in order for the iconic brand to develop and manufacture their own line of energy efficient fuel cells to power their passenger vehicles.

 

Although Mercedes currently has 200 hydrogen cell powered vehicles, the aim is to increase this number to 10,000 in three years’ time. Many of the existing fleet are buses and trucks. Fuel cell technology (and its research and development costs) remains a costly alternative to hybrid and electric vehicles in the market today. This fact has not stopped Mercedes from setting the goal of having fuel cell powered cars available for public sale by 2015 thanks in large part to the work that will occur in this new Canadian facility.

 

Although the announcement is substantial, it does not represent Mercedes’ first foray into fuel cell technology in BC. The company is currently part of a joint venture known as the Automotive Fuel Cell Co-operation, also based out of Burnaby. Said venture is with Ballard Power Systems and the Ford Motor Company for the manufacture of fuel cells for hybrid buses since 2008.

 

The news further proves that Canada’s west coast is the unquestionable centre of the universe for fuel cell research, accounting for 77% of the world’s research and investment. Considering that hydrogen fuel cell technology is expected to represent at $8.5 billion industry by 2016, the concentration of resources in the area is nothing to sneeze at.

 

The facility is expected to create 50 or so jobs in the fields of science and technology, impacting hundreds locally and potentially millions worldwide via the creation of fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles.