JV to develop and manufacture fuel cell systems in Japan

Intelligent Energy, a specialist in clean power systems, and the Suzuki Motor Corporation have announced the creation of a joint venture company called Smile FC System Corporation, to develop and manufacture air-cooled fuel cell systems for a range of industry sectors.
March 16, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

4011 Intelligent Energy, a specialist in clean power systems, and the Suzuki Motor Corporation have announced the creation of a joint venture company called Smile FC System Corporation, to develop and manufacture air-cooled fuel cell systems for a range of industry sectors. The joint venture also includes a non-exclusive license agreement that gives Suzuki access to Intelligent Energy’s fuel cell technology for its next generation of environmentally friendly fuel cell vehicles.

Under the terms of the contract, both companies will take a 50 per cent stake in the joint venture. Smile FC System Corporation will be led by Osamu Honda, executive VP and representative director for Suzuki Motor Corporation, who will become president of the JV which will be headquartered in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, with operations initially based in Yokohama, Japan.

According to Intelligent Energy’s Phil Caldwell, newly appointed to the board of Smile FC System, “This joint venture is the latest exciting development in the successful relationship between Intelligent Energy and Suzuki, which has previously resulted in the Crosscage motorcycle and the Suzuki Burgman fuel cell scooter. It is a big step towards the mass production of automotive fuel cell systems.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Weigh in motion technology reduces road damage
    February 8, 2012
    Overweight vehicles cause enormous damage to road structures but they can be caught, even at high speed. Weigh-in-motion or WIM devices are designed to capture and record axle weights and gross vehicle weights as vehicles drive over a measurement site.
    Read More
  • A fresh breath of air
    July 16, 2012
    With a new wave of exhaust emission regulations coming shortly, engine manufacturers are well on track to develop new solutions as Mike Woof reports A wave of technological advances has made the current generation of diesels the cleanest industrial engines ever produced. Driven by tightening controls on emissions, manufacturers have had to develop an array of innovative solutions that will help cut particulate and NOx being emitted from the tailpipe. When the phased reduction in exhaust emissions was first
    Read More
  • Showcasing global road innovation at key event
    August 27, 2019
    IRF Global R2T Conference & Exhibition to Present Winning Strategies Now in its second edition, the IRF Global R2T Conference & Exhibition has quickly established itself as the international meeting point. Leading industry innovators, researchers, and stakeholders can acquire essential engineering and business insights, and help build tomorrow’s transportation infrastructure today. A newly-released programme featuring more than 150 speakers spread across 50 policy and technical sessions offers an exc
    Read More
  • Volvo holds a leading position for future fuels
    June 20, 2025

    The Volvo Group is leading the field in delivering zero emission solutions for the future. The three divisions, Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Trucks and Volvo Penta, have all been investing heavily in developing new technologies.

    Read More

Highlighted Content