The eP-ICEBEAR is a fuel cell, hybrid electric ice resurfacing machine. Its creation was a joint project between the University of North Dakota Energy & Environment Research Center (UND-EERC), Resurfice Corporation, and ePower, Inc.

ePower recognized the need for emission free, extended duty cycle indoor ice resurfacing. Currently 95% of the ice rinks in the US are resurfaced using propane powered units which emit carbon monoxide (CO) in the rink. There have been a number of cases in the news of people being rushed to hospitals overcome by CO poisoning. A recent news report in California found that nearly every rink tested had CO levels between two and upwards of five times the limit that is deemed safe. A current solution is to use battery electric powered ice resurfacers to eliminate the emissions. However, battery powered versions have limited operation range, often half of what is required. ePower was able to produce a solution for this problem by deploying a combination of a fuel cell and advanced battery systems.

The vehicle was introduced in North Dakota by Senator Dorgan in November, 2005. It was on display at the Electric Drive Transportation Association Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, early in 2006 and is on tour during the spring and summer of 2006 at a number of cities across the United States, including Chicago, Boston, New York, and its headquarter's home in the Quad-Cities.

This is a joint project between the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and the US Army Construction engineering Research Laboratory (CERL). ePower was awarded the vehicle demonstration element in July, 2005. The fuel cell powered forklift truck was developed and delivered in June, 2006. This unit will be on a one-year demonstration, including the North Dakota State Fair in July, 2006. This project was made possible by a Defense Appropration Bill plus-up sponsored by US Senator Dorgan.

The bill has been extended into FY06 and will allow for the development of a fuel cell hybrid electric version of a commercially available Multi-Purpose Utility Vehicle (MPUV) for the North Dakota Army National guard as a general purpose construction and utility vehicle. It will be used in a wide range of applications with a variety of attachments as part of their quartermaster corps mission. An additional eP-MPUV is being developed for the US Air Force under the direction of Advanced Power Technolgies Office (APTO) based at Robins AFB, Georgia.