A few days ago I received an email press release from Josie C.Y. Yu from APFCT, Ltd. The press release concerned the Fuel Cell Scooter Experience Project Launch that took place November 9, 2012 in Taiwan.
On that day the general public was given 80 hydrogen fuel cell scooters by APFCT to use free of charge. And after that day much of the public was still able to use the scooters free of charge.
According to APFCT, “For long time, The Magistrate of Pingtung County, Mr. Tsao Chi Hung pays close attention on the development of green energy. This time, Pingtung county provides a sustainable development platform of green energy for domestic industry, government and academia in Taiwan. 80 fuel cell scooters from APFCT will be provided to the general public in Pingtung County to use free of charge. On 9th November, many delegates, including officers from central and local governments, ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), CPC Corporation Taiwan, representative from industries and many general public, gathered at the old east gate of Hengchun Town to witness this important milestone of fuel cell industrial development and to have first-hand experience of fuel cell scooters under the echo of traditional local folk rhyme and moon-shaped lute.
“All 80 scooters have normal obtained license plate and can be rode on roads. Apart from 20 units of fuel cell scooters that are sent to Pingtung county to be used for official business, the rest is sent to 17 B&B in Kenting area to be used by tourists. Tourists stay in those B&B can borrow the scooter free of charge. All 17 B&Bs also act as exchange points for low-pressure metal canisters used by the scooters. This project is a small-scale realization of commercialization operation of canister exchange model.”
In August 2012 I had talked about how the APFCT fuel cell scooters were now commercial-ready. Based on the canister exchange model of hydrogen refueling, this test market venture to tourists holds high promise for future commercial rollouts.