SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — The County of San Bernardino has signed an agreement with StratosFuel’s shared-vehicle program StratosShare to house five Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicles at their Fleet Management yard in the City of San Bernardino.
The vehicles will be available on-demand to County departments through the Fleet Motor Pool.
Last year, StratosShare was launched in front of an audience attended by members of the California Energy Commission, local officials, and the public. Presenters at the event included Commissioner Patricia Monahan from the California Energy Commission, Mayor of San Bernardino, Toyota Motor of North America, California Fuel Cell Partnership, Dr. Barth from the College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology at UCR, and Jonathan Palacios-Avila, CEO of StratosFuel, Inc.
The concept behind StratosShare is for users to rent hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on-demand by the hour or day through a smartphone app. How it works, the StratosShare app enables users to reserve, unlock, start, and pay rental fees all from their phone. Every trip includes hydrogen fuel and maintenance, making it convenient for short and long-term rentals. The vehicles are strategically located in high-density areas and are accessible 24-hours a day.
With less than a year of operation, StratosShare has deployed vehicles to various locations, such as airports, universities, downtowns, and office parks in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. As a way to expand and provide zero-emission transportation to locations that utilize vehicles daily, StratosShare is partnering with public entities to provide on-demand vehicles for employees.
“By utilizing the hydrogen-powered StratosShare vehicles, we hope to demonstrate the viability of the car share concept in a fleet operation, while reducing tailpipe and greenhouse gas emissions in the County fleet,” stated Ron Lindsey, Fleet Management Director for San Bernardino County.
The pilot agreement between the County of San Bernardino and StratosShare will provide an on-demand, zero-emissions alternative to using conventional County fleet vehicles. The StratosShare vehicles are stationed at the County yard and are available 24 hours a day for County departments. Through this agreement, San Bernardino County is one of the first in the State to have a shared hydrogen fleet.
“StratosShare is enabling zero-emission transportation by offering hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on-demand to the public. By partnering with the largest County in the United States, it furthers our strategy to increase hydrogen demand as well as demonstrate the effectiveness that fuel cell vehicles have in a fleet setting,” stated Jonathan Palacios-Avila, Co-Founder/Chief Executive Officer of StratosFuel, Inc
StratosShare is currently expanding its on-demand car rental program throughout Southern California and is looking to bring the program to other areas of the State. StratosFuel is in charge of fueling and maintaining the vehicles, which utilize existing hydrogen infrastructure. The company has plans to develop more stations that will support its growing fleet.
About StratosShare: StratosShare (@stratosshare) is an on-demand rental car company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of StratosFuel, Inc. (@stratosfuel). StratosShare rents hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by the hour or day through a smartphone app and is available in select parts of California. StratosShare is an extension of its parent company’s vision to make hydrogen an everyday fuel. Both companies are leading the hydrogen industry in segments that produce renewable hydrogen fuel and make transportation more accessible and convenient to the public. To learn more about StratosShare, visit stratosshare.com
About San Bernardino County: Located at the heart of Southern California, San Bernardino County is the largest county in the United States. Its vast borders stretch from the greater Los Angeles area to the Nevada border and the Colorado River encompassing a total area of 20,105 square miles. Comprised of 24 cities and towns, San Bernardino County encompasses more than two million residents. In June 2011, the Board of Supervisors and the San Bernardino Council of Governments adopted the Countywide Vision in partnership with the community. The Countywide Vision provides a roadmap for the future of San Bernardino County, including the creation of a healthy and prosperous future for all who live, work and play here. For more information on the Countywide Vision, visit http://www.sbcounty.gov/vision.
SOURCE StratosFuel, Inc
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