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German supplier Siemens VDO Automotive Corp. is charged up about its nearly complete acquisition of the electric drive operations of Ballard Power Systems Inc.
The Ballard unit, of Dearborn, Mich., designs, develops and manufactures advanced electric drive technology for both fuel cell and batterypowered electric vehicles. With continuous-power ratings of 17 to 250 kilowatts, Ballard's products are designed for cars, buses, airport ground support and industrial equipment.
Hybrids, which combine a gasoline engine and an electric motor, typically use electric motors at low speeds and gasoline engines at higher speeds.
"I think the evolution of the hybrid market in the last few years has really created a great opportunity for us," says Joe Mitchell, Ballard's director of operations.
"But it would be very difficult for Ballard to jump into that," Mitchell says, without the financial backing of a company such as Siemens.
Siemens VDO Automotive, of Regensburg, Germany, ranks No. 11 on the Automotive News list of the top 100 global suppliers with...