WEST SACRAMENTO, CA — The California Fuel Cell Partnership announced on March 14 that ISE Corporation has joined CaFCP as its 32nd member. CaFCP is a public-private collaborative to demonstrate and promote fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fuel systems. ISE designs, develops and assembles fully integrated hybrid-electric drive systems and components for large buses, trucks and military vehicles. Hybrid-electric drive systems usually power a vehicle by using a conventional fossil-fueled engine in series or parallel to an energy storage device and electric motor. ISE designs and develops control systems and software which govern and optimize the use of energy in hybrid-electric drive systems. ISE, in a joint venture with Thor Industries, produced its first fuel cell bus in 2001. ISE is now providing the design and integration of four zero emission buses for two CaFCP members, AC Transit in Oakland and SunLine Transit in Palm Desert, California. The hydrogen-fueled buses are being constructed through a unique collaboration between Van Hool, UTC and ISE. In addition to its role in developing and integrating fuel cell bus technology, as an associate member ISE will support CaFCP's goals by working on the development of hydrogen fuel systems, codes and standards and providing technical training assistance. The California Fuel Cell Partnership is a voluntary, industry-government collaboration to advance a new vehicle and fueling technology that could move the world toward practical and affordable environmental solutions. CaFCP members are demonstrating fuel cell-powered electric vehicles under real day-to-day driving conditions; testing alternative fuels and demonstrating the viability of an alternative fuel infrastructure technology; facilitating the path to commercialization; and increasing public awareness of fuel cell electric vehicles. CaFCP includes auto manufacturers (DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen); energy providers (Air Products, BP, ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Praxair, Proton Energy Systems, Shell Hydrogen, Stuart Energy and Ztek); technology companies (Ballard Power Systems, ISE Corp. and UTC Fuel Cells); government agencies (California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, South Coast AQMD, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis); and bus transit agencies (AC Transit, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and SunLine Transit Agency).