Ballard joins Ford to develop clean car
Ottawa is expected to kick in $8-million
Saturday, April 19, 1997
By Greg Keenan
Auto Industry Reporter
Ballard Power Systems Ltd. is linking up with the federal government and Ford Motor Co. of Detroit to play a key role in developing Ford's entry in the U.S. program to develop a superefficient,
environmentally friendly car, sources say.
They said Ottawa is expected to kick in about $8-million to help Vancouver-based Ballard develop the power plant for Ford's entry in the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) program.
The PNGV is a partnership between the U.S. government and the Big Three North American auto makers to develop a family sedan with three times the fuel efficiency of today's cars, but with the same performance, safety and affordability.
Under the program, each of the three companies will produce a concept vehicle between 1998 and 2000 and, by 2004, a prototype that's close to being able to go into production.
Federal Natural Resources Minister Anne McLellan has scheduled a news conference for Monday at Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. headquarters in Oakville, Ont., to announce federal participation in a research and development project to create a fuel cell for automotive use.
Ms. McLellan is expected to announce a partnership between Ottawa and Ballard, said a source familiar with the deal.
Ballard's fuel cells convert natural gas, methanol or hydrogen fuel into electricity without combustion.
The only byproduct is a harmless water-vapour exhaust. The company says the cells are much more efficient than standard fossil-fuel-burning car engines.
Besides developing fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly vehicles, the PNGV program is also an attempt to develop cutting-edge technologies for the 21st century.
Although the dollar amount is small, the move would be another significant step for Ballard, which is already on a roll this week after the announcement that Daimler-Benz AG of Germany will buy a
significant stake in the company.
Ballard has already been the recipient of government assistance--$8.6-million from the B.C. government a year ago and another $30-million repayable contribution from Ottawa last fall.
The key question for Ballard and the Big Three is whether they can mass produce these kinds of leading-edge vehicles cheaply enough to make them acceptable to consumers. |
