Mercedes to Open Fuel Cell Plant in Burnaby, BC

Posted March 24, 2011

Originally from AutoNorth.ca: Mercedes to open fuel cell plant in Burnaby, B.C.

Mercedes-Benz Canada is expanding its Canadian operations as part of its larger push in to the next generation of clean, zero-emission electric cars by setting up its own production of fuel cell stacks in a new facility slated for Burnaby, British Columbia.

The goal of this facility is to develop its own line of cheaper and more efficient fuel cells for passenger vehicles.

A fuel cell stack is a key component in fuel cell powered electric cars, which are more advanced than current battery-powered electric models that require constant recharging.

Construction on the 2000-square metre large-scale production facility will begin immediately and is slated for completion in early 2012. When completed, the plant will first supply the company with fuel cell stacks for its small fleet of hydrogen powered vehicles. But Mercedes hopes to grow that fleet from about 200 to 10,000 in the next two to three years.

The facility should begin pumping out fuel cell stacks to power Mercedes sedans like the C- and E-Class in 2013.

The company is also counting on the Burnaby operation to find ways to bring down the cost of those cars to compete with hybrid and gas powered vehicles. By 2015, the company says it hopes to offer fuel cell cars to the public.

B.C. Premier Christy Clark was on hand for the announcement, saying the plant is a $50-million investment in the province's green economy.

"B.C. was selected over a number of other jurisdictions in Canada and around the world," she said.

"Your investment in our province will contribute to a cleaner environment. It will create jobs, and those jobs will support hundreds of families," Clark told executives from Mercedes and its parent company Daimler.

[Source: CBC]