A developer of hydrogen fuel cells and a maker of lead-acid batteries are collaborating to develop a hybrid energy system for lift trucks that uses both a battery and a fuel cell.

Canadian fuel cell manufacturer Ballard Power Systems and Exide Technologies, the parent company of battery maker GNB Industrial Power, announced last month their agreement to work together on a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop the hybrid system.

The system will use a fuel cell to recharge a lead-acid battery while the battery remains in the lift truck, says Mark Jesko, director of marketing for GNB. The battery will do its traditional work of providing power and counterweight, he says, while the fuel cell will eliminate the need to lift heavy batteries out of trucks for hours of electric charging.

The fuel cell will require some hydrogen fueling, he says, but it's too early in the development process to know how often fueling will be necessary.

Jesko says he sees the hybrid system as an alternative to today's fast-charging systems that allow lead-acid batteries to be plugged in and recharged throughout the day, usually during drivers' breaks and lunches.

A working prototype of the hybrid system is expected to be ready in 12 months, Jesko says. The prototype will then be tested in a six-month field trial.

In January 2005, Nuvera Fuel Cells and lead-acid battery maker East Penn Manufacturing announced their agreement to create a similar hybrid technology. According to Nuvera, the technology is currently being tested in lift trucks in East Penn's facilities.