Intelligent Energy and Suzuki Motor Corporation announced a joint venture to produce fuel cell electric vehicles last year. Now one year on Intelligent Energy is scaling up the fuel cell production at its plant in Yokohama, Japan.
This is the start of high volume production for Intelligent Energy, after developing and proving the fuel cell stack system, it is moving to a semi-automated production line. This will reduce manufacturing and assembly costs as well as improving product quality and cycle times.
The JV, called Smile FC, has seen manufacturing scaled up to supply fuel cell stacks for integration with Suzuki vehicles under a non-exclusive licence to accelerate the commercialisation of fuel cell vehicles.
Dr Henri Winand, Chief Executive at Intelligent Energy, said: “The Yokohama production line is testament to the rigorous, results-oriented collaboration between Intelligent Energy and Suzuki Motor Corporation – one that brings us a step closer to the commercialisation of fuel cell electric vehicles. This demonstrates how our focused commercial approach accelerates and de-risks our partners and customers’ deployment plans.”
