Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2021) - First Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV: FHYD) (OTC Pink: FHYDF) (FSE: FIT) ("FIRST HYDROGEN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Nicholas Wrigley, ( Non-Executive Director/Chairman UK) of First Hydrogen Limited (UK) will be guest speaker at Invest Africa's roundtable discussion at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held from October 31st thru to November 12th, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. Mr. Wrigley is also a VIP guest at the reception to be held by the Department of International Trade (UK) and Formula E to be hosted at the summit in Glasgow.
Ambitious emissions reduction targets for 2030 have been set to achieve the goal of reaching net zero by the middle of the century. Fuel Cell (FC) and hydrogen propulsion are key enablers to support this net-zero future. The partnership between Ballard Power Systems Inc. ("Ballard"), AVL Powertrain UK ("AVL") and First Hydrogen will work together in this partnership for zero-tailpipe emission technology going forward.
The project will develop and build two hydrogen fuel cell powered light commercial demonstrator vans for First Hydrogen that will be road legal and utilized to showcase the capabilities of fuel cell technology in its light commercial vehicles under development. This will provide First Hydrogen with a design and technology platform for future commercialisation.
Work has already started at AVL's Engineering Centre Basildon UK, for delivery in Q3 of 2022. The vehicles will be equipped with the latest generation Ballard FCgen®-LCS fuel cell, giving the vehicles a range of more than 500 kilometres.
First Hydrogen has selected AVL because of its established expertise, collaborations, and knowhow. AVL is a strong partner for First Hydrogen in its strategy for hydrogen powered Fuel cell vehicle development. Some 25 UK based engineers in AVL will execute:
- FCS system specification, design, supplier selection and virtual integration. Including system matching (FC stack, compressor and battery).
- Balance of plant specification (BoP) and high-pressure hydrogen system specification,
- FCS calibration optimisation on test bed and in-vehicle
- Full vehicle packaging design and physical integration including vehicle commissioning
- Control module SW + HW development for fuel cell control unit, tank control unit, vehicle control unit.
- AVL Drive assessment for performance baseline, NVH / drivability
Drawing on additional support of 500 fuel cell experts globally, across three purpose-built fuel cell technical centres.
Nicholas Wrigley, Non-Executive Director/Chairman of First Hydrogen Limited:
"We are delighted to be working with AVL and Ballard Power in this important partnership. Our mobility strategy consists of designing and building two prototype demonstrators using an existing EV platform. These demonstrators will be road legal in the UK and will both fast track our learning of the fuel cell mobility market and technology, and also provide our prospective customers will real time test beds for their future hydrogen mobility needs. We are also launching the design of a bespoke fuel cell platform for commercialisation of a fleet of vehicles including a range of delivery vans, taxis and medium sized trucks. These will be designed in the UK by the First Hydrogen team and built in the UK for the UK market and export. First Hydrogen is also assessing the viability of green hydrogen production in the UK and elsewhere to be able to provide its mobility customers with a full service, to include the fuel."
Dr Bernadette Longridge, Engineering Centre Manager, AVL Powertrain UK:
"The AVL team are proud to be working with the First Hydrogen team on delivering two hydrogen fuel cell demonstrator vehicles. This project is an opportunity to show case the advantages of Fuel cell technologies within the light commercial vehicle arena and is an important step to show the potential for fuel cells to support the goal of net zero by the middle of the century."
About First Hydrogen Corp.
First Hydrogen Corp. is a Vancouver based company focused on zero-emission vehicles and supercritical carbon dioxide extractor systems. The company is designing and developing a hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered light commercial vehicle under two agreements with AVL Powertrain UK Ltd. and Ballard Power Systems Inc. having a range of 500+ kilometres. First Hydrogen will also offer fuel-cell-powered supercritical CO2 extraction systems that will allow users to operate the systems in remote locations where there are no electrical power grids available, or the electrical power is unstable. This already developed supercritical CO2 extraction system is fully operational and can be monitored and supported remotely by the company's in-house fully integrated software operating system.
About AVL Powertrain Limited
With more than 11,000 employees, AVL is the world's largest independent company for development, simulation and testing in the automotive industry, and in other sectors. Drawing on its pioneering spirit, the company provides concepts, solutions and methodologies to shape future mobility trends. AVL creates innovative and affordable technologies to effectively reduce CO2 by applying a multi-energy carrier strategy for all applications - from hybrid to battery electric and fuel cell technologies. The company supports customers throughout the entire development process from the ideation phase to serial production. To accelerate the vision of smart and connected mobility AVL has established competencies in the fields of ADAS, autonomous driving and digitalization. AVL's passion is innovation. Together with an international network of experts that extends over 26 countries and with 45 Tech- and Engineering Centers worldwide, AVL drives sustainable mobility trends for a greener future. In 2020, the company generated a turnover of 1.7 billion Euros, of which 12% are invested in R&D activities.
About Ballard Power Systems Inc.
Ballard is a leading global provider of innovative clean energy and fuel cell solutions. Ballard develops and manufactures proton exchange membrane fuel cell products for markets such as heavy-duty motive, portable power, material handling as well as providing technology solutions services.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
FIRST HYDROGEN CORP.
"Balraj Mann"
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
604-601-2018
investors@firsthydrogen.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains information or statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by words such as "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.
Forward-looking information may include, without limitation, statements regarding the operations, business, financial condition, expected financial results, performance, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, milestones, strategies and outlook of First Hydrogen, and includes statements about, among other things, future developments and the future operations, strengths and strategies of First Hydrogen. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results.
The forward-looking statements made in this news release are based on management's assumptions and analysis and other factors that may be drawn upon by management to form conclusions and make forecasts or projections, including management's experience and assessments of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Although management believes that these assumptions, analyses and assessments are reasonable at the time the statements contained in this news release are made, actual results may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Examples of risks and factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from forward-looking statements may include: the timing and unpredictability of regulatory actions; regulatory, legislative, legal or other developments with respect to its operations or business; limited marketing and sales capabilities; early stage of the industry and product development; limited products; reliance on third parties; unfavourable publicity or consumer perception; general economic conditions and financial markets; the impact of increasing competition; the loss of key management personnel; capital requirements and liquidity; access to capital; the timing and amount of capital expenditures; the impact of COVID-19; shifts in the demand for First Hydrogen's products and the size of the market; patent law reform; patent litigation and intellectual property; conflicts of interest; and general market and economic conditions.
The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of First Hydrogen as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. First Hydrogen undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
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