Ballard Power Systems will present its latest hydrogen fuel cell module, the FCmove-SC, at Busworld in Brussels between 4 and 9 October 2025.
The new module has been developed for city bus applications and is intended to reduce lifecycle costs, simplify vehicle integration and support fleet operations with additional safety and service features.
The FCmove-SC is designed to deliver a peak power output of at least 75 kW. It incorporates integrated DC/DC packaging, resulting in a 25 percent increase in volumetric power density compared with previous designs, and allows for higher radiator outlet temperatures of up to 75°C. This contributes to simpler thermal management and smaller cooling requirements.
Other changes include a 30 percent increase in end-of-life system power, enhanced durability, improved freeze-start capability, and a reduction of around 40 percent in total part count. The expected service life under typical transit duty cycles is about 25,000 operating hours.
Integration has been simplified by consolidating the DC/DC converter and power controller into the module. This reduces the number of external interfaces and components, supporting easier powertrain integration and potentially lowering maintenance requirements.
Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, BallardKevin Colbow said:The FCmove-SC is the latest product on Ballard’s new core product platform which anchors broader advances targeting the industry’s core challenge: narrowing the gap in cost of ownership parity with legacy diesel systems. The fuel cell design significantly reduces integration complexity for bus manufacturers while improving life-time cost and performance for transit operators.
The FCmove-SC is also linked to Ballard’s upgraded fleet support services. These include predictive maintenance and analytics through the FCServiceCloud Customer Insight portal, which provides operators with data for preventive and predictive maintenance planning.
Furthermore, safety features have been revised, with a new internal geometry in the PEM stack enclosure designed to reduce hydrogen-related risks through passive measures.
Ballard reports that its development of the FCmove-SC has drawn on experience gained from more than 850 fuel cell buses operating in Europe and nearly 100 million service kilometres accumulated with earlier FCmove-HD modules.
Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer David Mucciacciaro said:We’re benefitting from the most operational experience in the bus segment and on insights from our long-standing customers, to deliver a solution that simplifies vehicle integration, reduces operating and maintenance costs – backed by services that keep fleets reliably on the road.
The company will exhibit the FCmove-SC alongside other products in Hall 9, Stand 579 at Busworld Brussels.
