UPS’ fuel cell and electric powertrain system include the fuel cell itself, an 31-kiloWatt model manufactured by Canadian fuel cell developer Hydrogenics, a pair of 5-kilogram, high-pressure hydrogen tanks and a 45-kiloWatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that will store and release the electricity produced in the fuel cell.

The demonstration fleet will be used to develop operating cost and reliability data and to assess just how well the fuel cell vans do in improving air quality in the neighbourhoods they will be serving. UPS will be using publicly available hydrogen stations in Sacramento and near its inland Southern California facility in Ontario.

The vans are part of a $10-million federal Department of Energy program. The California Energy Commission and South Coast Air Quality Management district helped fund the program.