Back to News  -   May 1, 2007

Hydrogen highway to become reality; Plans to Expand to San Diego by 2010

The British Columbia government has come up with the cash to follow through on its plan to develop the world’s first hydrogen bus fleet.

Premier Gordon Campbell told an international hydrogen and fuel cells conference yesterday the province will provide $45 million toward the production of 20 buses and development of hydrogen fuelling stations in Whistler and Victoria.

He said B.C.’s goal is to have the fuel-cell buses on the road by the end of 2009, showcasing the province’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gases.

"I'm sure most of you … have heard things like ‘it’s much too expensive, it will never work, you will never get there, it’s way too far off, why hasn’t it happened yet?’ … all those things were the same things being said about automobiles 100 years ago," he said.

Campbell said the funding will ensure a hydrogen highway running from Whistler to Vancouver, Surrey and Victoria will become a reality, while British Columbia works with U.S. partners to extend the hydrogen highway to San Diego by 2010.

The government committed in the throne speech that a federal-provincial partnership would invest $89 million for the project, of which $10 million was dedicated in November to the development of a pre-production hydrogen fuel cell bus.

The remaining $34 million will be used by B.C. Transit to operate the fleet for up to five years.

CANADIAN PRESS

Metro Vancouver Newspaper, page 4