Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP) (TSX: BLDP) today announced that it has reached agreement with Weichai Ballard Hy-Energy Technologies Co., Ltd.  for the supply of a mix of certain fuel cell products and components that will be used in the assembly of modules to power zero-emission fuel cell electric vehicles  in China. The order will have a total value of approximately $44 million to Ballard.

Once assembled by the Weichai-Ballard JV, final modules will be sold to Weichai Power Co., Ltd.  to support initial deployments against Weichai’s commitment to supply a minimum of 2,000 fuel cell modules for commercial FCEVs in China. All products and components to be supplied by Ballard, as well as related applications engineering support, are planned for delivery in 2019 and 2020, and will be based on Ballard’s next-generation LCS stack technology.

Randy MacEwen, Ballard President and CEO said, “This is a very exciting next step for our Weichai-Ballard joint venture. Weichai’s commitment to support the deployment of 2,000 FCEVs in China is the largest to date globally. It will enable further fuel cell cost reductions as we move toward commercial scaling. Weichai intends to be at the forefront of zero-emission FCEV deployments in China. Since the closing of our strategic collaboration, we have been moving very quickly together to prepare the Weichai-Ballard JV manufacturing facility for the assembly of Ballard fuel cell stacks and modules. We anticipate the Weichai-Ballard JV facility will be operational by the end of 2019, positioning us with a strong set-up in the China market for 2020.”

Ballard closed a strategic collaboration transaction with Weichai in November 2018. The transaction includes: (i) an equity investment by Weichai in Ballard in the amount of approximately $163.6 million, representing a 19.9% interest in the company; (ii) establishment of a joint venture company in Shandong Province, in which Weichai owns 51% and Ballard owns 49%, to support China’s FCEV market, along with $90 millionin technology transfer payments from the Weichai-Ballard JV to Ballard; and (iii) Weichai’s intent to support the deployment of at least 2,000 commercial FCEVs by 2021, using Ballard technology.

Established in 2002 and with listings on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges, Weichai Power Co., Ltd. is a leading automotive and equipment manufacturer specializing in the production of powertrains, automobiles, intelligent logistics, automotive parts and components. In 2017 Weichai manufactured more than 617,000 engines, 149,000 heavy duty trucks and 200,000 forklift trucks, and generated total revenue of 151.57 billion RMB(approximately $22.7 billion), with an employee base of 74,474 people.

About Ballard Power Systems 

Ballard Power Systems provides clean energy products that reduce customer costs and risks, and helps customers solve difficult technical challenges or address new business opportunities.