More than 60 stakeholders celebrated the opening of the Santa Barbara hydrogen station last Friday, May 13 with a ribbon cutting and displays of fuel cell cars from Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota.
The True Zero hydrogen station is co-funded by the California Energy Commission and is one of more than 40 that are expected to be online by the end of 2016. Like many of California’s hydrogen stations, it is based at a local gasoline station, Conserv Fuel.
Tyson Eckerle, Deputy Director of Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure in the Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development, remarked on additional benefits of the clean-air cars. “You can pull up to the station and within 3-to-5 minutes, you’re on your way with 300 miles of range. It opens up a whole new market.”
Tim Brown, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of True Zero, remarked on the station’s role on the growing hydrogen map. “It’s a big step to broaden the network in California and to allowing these vehicles to stretch their legs and realize their full potential. It’s a big step for this area.”
Attendees included county supervisors Peter Adam and Salud Carbajal, a representative of Assembly Member Das Williams, and Fire Chief Patrick McElroy, in addition to representatives from Honda, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, the California Energy Commission, California Fuel Cell Partnership, Santa Barbara Air Pollution Control District and Santa Barbara Community Environmental Council.
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