Ideanomics, a global company focused on accelerating the commercial adoption of zero-emission vehicles, announced that the company has been selected by Fenton Mobility Products as its partner to build five H₂-powered, zero-emission transit vans for the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA).

"Fenton Mobility and Ideanomics are the dream team for this project. Fenton is known for delivering the best solutions for public transportation, and Ideanomics has some of the best zero-emission products and technology," said Macy Neshati, Chief Commercial Officer at Ideanomics. "I would like to thank RGRTA for its bold climate leadership, and for putting their trust in Ideanomics and Fenton, two local companies, to provide zero-emission buses made right here in the U.S."

The value of RGRTA's order exceeds $2.2 MM. The cost of the buses is covered with funds from a $23-MM grant the RGRTA received from the U.S. Department of Transportation to deploy H₂ fuel cell buses.

"We are proud to partner with the highly respected Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority. As an industry leader, Fenton continues to invest in low and no-emissions solutions. We believe H₂ will play a key role as a future fuel," said Scott Fenton, President of Fenton Mobility.

Under the terms of the agreement, Fenton Mobility will deliver a pilot H₂ fuel cell battery electric-powered high-headroom van to the RGRTA. Once the pilot vehicle completes the FTA-mandated Altoona durability testing period and is shown to meet all requirements, production will commence on five additional vehicles to be delivered by Q1 2024.

Ideanomics, through its subsidiary U.S. Hybrid, will assemble the H₂ fuel cell propulsion system and manufacture associated components at its engineering facility in Torrance, California. Fenton Mobility will install the H₂ propulsion kit into the vans.

New York State has set a goal for several transit systems across the state–including RGRTA–to fully transition their fleets to zero-emission by 2035. The state and RGRTA see H₂ as an important clean energy solution to achieve these goals.

"As we work to meet New York State's goal of having a fully zero-emission bus fleet by 2035, we are focused on identifying the zero-emission solution that meets our operational needs and provides the level of reliability that our customers expect," said RGRTA CEO Miguel Velázquez. "I thank the New York State Department of Transportation for the grant funds we received for this effort. We look forward to working with Ideanomics and Fenton Mobility to evaluate the effectiveness of H₂ fuel-cell technology in our fleet and help New York achieve its climate change goals."

Ideanomics's subsidiary U.S. Hybrid has a strong, proven track record when it comes to H₂-powered buses. The company is part of a coalition to build zero-emission, H₂-powered shuttle buses, and has supplied H₂-powered buses to the County of Hawai'i Mass Transit Agency.

Ideanomics views U.S. Hybrid's expertise in designing fuel cell systems and electric power trains as a competitive advantage. and is committed to supporting the growth of U.S. Hybrid. Ideanomics is solving the complexity of fleet electrification by bringing together high-performance electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and financing solutions under one roof.