Crown Lift Trucks to Switch to Fuel Cell Power at Air Force Base

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario—Hydrogenics Corp. will supply 20 fuel cell power packs for integration into Crown lift trucks that will be deployed at the Defense Distribution Depot Warner Robins Georgia (DDWG) at Robins Air Force base.

Concurrent Technologies Corp. (CTC), a nonprofit scientific research organization, will replace the lead-acid batteries currently being used in the Crown Class 1 lift trucks with the fuel cell power packs. Designed to fit within a lift truck's existing battery pack compartment, Hydrogenics' HyPX Power Packs incorporate the company's HyPM HD fuel cell power module for base load requirements as well as energy-storing ultracapacitors to handle load peaks and capture energy through regenerative braking.

According to Hydrogenics, the hydrogen-powered fuel cells will be delivered before the end of this year.

"Hydrogenics has focused on material handling equipment, including lift trucks, as an important commercial mobility market for fuel cells," says Daryl Wilson, president and CEO of Hydrogenics. "We have developed our HyPX fuel cell power pack as a leading-edge replacement product for lead-acid battery powered equipment, with particular focus on Class 1 forklifts. We are very pleased to work with CTC as an integrator with Crown Equipment Corp. to put these products into service at the DoD as they demonstrate once again their leadership in embracing new technologies."