Ford Unveils World’s First Drivable Fuel Cell Hybrid Electri

Ford Motor Company unveiled the world’s first drivable fuel cell hybrid electric plug-in that combines an onboard hydrogen fuel cell generator with lithium-ion batteries to deliver more than 41 mpg with zero emissions. The unveiling happened at the Washington, D.C. Auto Show on January 23, 2007. The vehicle is built on a flexible powertrain architecture that will enable Ford to use new fuel and propulsion technologies as they develop without redesigning the vehicle.

This concept vehicle offers Ford the ultimate in flexibility in researching advanced propulsion technology. Ford can take the fuel cell power system out and replace it with a down-sized diesel, gasoline engine or any other powertrain connected to a small electric generator to make electricity like the fuel cell does now.

The plug-in hybrid is powered by a 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack at all times. The vehicle drives the first 25 miles each day on stored electricity alone, after which the fuel cell begins operating to keep the battery pack charged. This provides another 200 miles of range for a total of 225 miles with zero emissions.

The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive can travel at speeds of up to 85 mph. An on-board charger (110/220 VAC) can refresh the battery pack when a standard home outlet is available, making the concept a true plug-in hybrid.

Ford says this is the kind of technology that we need if America is to become energy independent. Research into hydrogen, including the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive, is part of Ford’s overall effort to address the challenges of climate change and energy independence.

A video report from Ford Motor Company

25 thoughts on “Ford Unveils World’s First Drivable Fuel Cell Hybrid Electri

  1. johnwcaldwell says:

    Many companies will make hydrogen, it’s easy. The price of the car will come down, and soon the hydrogen fuel cell will be powering our homes and businesses as well. No more electrical power utility companies, no more global warming. See the future guys — it’s here, it just hasn’t happened yet!

  2. helzefeld says:

    I can see it now… it’s going to be Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD all over again with big oil still trying to meter you to death while forward thinking individuals will adapt and create viable home charging from solar power and possibly hybrid water-electric running techs. The future is very exciting.

  3. deering505 says:

    Commercials on YouTube?

    Yes, THAT’s what people want!

    I think I’ll start a company that submits crappy industrial videos to YouTube. What an innovation!

  4. deering505 says:

    First? Yeah, maybe.

    But I don’t hear Ford saying “we’re coming to market in the summer” like I hear from Honda.

    This isn’t very impressive, Ford. Thanks for the commercial, though.

  5. thiago497150 says:

    here we have the top end hibrid tecnology called “flex”. The car can run with natural gas (gnv), ethanol (80 cents/litre) and gasoline. today, about 90% of cars selled here can run with ethanol or gasoline in any proportion without press buttons or do some modifications, and for U$1000, anyone can put a cilinder of gnv to run for less than 8cents-km (almost all taxi drivers have this “kit” )All gas station have ethanol gasoline diesel gnv. Diesel in brazil is just for bus and truck.

  6. mflesh2001 says:

    Toyota is trash. It’s for the people who want to say they own an import while talking trash about the domestic vehicles that are now better than their crap. I love it how Toyota owners are quick to talk about the “longevity” of their cars, yet I don’t see very many old ones on the road at all…I see tons of old Tauruses and Escorts on the road and their owners are perfectly happy with their ZERO repair record.

  7. carollrar says:

    Never mind the hydrogen fuel cells. Go for the plug-in hybrid you could make RIGHT NOW. Detroit, why are you always a day late and a dollar short?

  8. anthonycut says:

    Hydrogen—HYPE … Why are you going to bother with that business…there are PLUGS all over. Pure electric NOW—

    PS—I own a 2000 Ford Ranger EV…How can you make a PURE electric in ’00 and CLAIM you can’t make it now?!?!

  9. RABIDJOCK says:

    GkillerDogg,you are simply incorrect.FYI see Tesla or more importantly wrightspeed Ariel Atom v Porche GT and a Ferrari..In actual fact I would say the opposite.The IC engine days are indeed numbered simply because it has nowhere left to go!!But I suspect if an EV were to win the World Rally Championship ppl might sit up and take notice.One to think about for the guys at Tesla???

  10. engineerrb says:

    There is a reason for fuel cells producing electricity at 50+% efficiency versus power plants producing electricity at about 35% efficiency. Personally I’m not hopeful Ford will actually produce a breakthrough fuel efficient vehicle. Maybe GM will produce the Volt, but Toyota appears the most motivated. Meanwhile a plug-in Prius commuter car would be great if Toyota would decide to build one.

  11. PlugInPrius says:

    did you hear how noisy that fuel cell is. I don’t like it. I like the battery electric vehicle. basically, take the fuel cell vehicle, which is just an electric car with batteries and a fuel cell used to charge the batteries. I would take the fuel cell out, put more batteries in, thats the car I want. Battery Electric Vehicle. Fuel cell is boring.

  12. EvilMongrelMonkey says:

    Make your own electric car. Take one of those old civics and gut it, put in a conversion kit and bingo…. you no longer have a gas car… otherwise, complaining will just piss a bunch of people off.

  13. h2fcell says:

    I was going to buy a NEW Honda Civic Hybrid, 45mpg very nice. But I saw a couple of u-tube videos about the Chevy Volt concept car. Then I saw GM’s website (gm com ] company ] gmability ] edu_k-12 ] 9-12 ) replace ] with /. I thought if I bought that 2007 Civic and GM sells a 2009 Volt like hybrid electric (100mpg) while gas price floats to $4.50/g, my Civic would be worthless. So for now I’m waiting. Driving my 1998 Corolla.

  14. EvilMongrelMonkey says:

    Ok, you stop first. You are right though. It is up to the market. I’m just afraid that most libs will become impatient with the pace of change and run for office or pressure libs already in office to grow government even more to force the change…. e.g. Hilary: “I want to take those profits…” mind you… they were not HER profits…. but that never stopped a liberal.

  15. h2fcell says:

    The auto industry designs concept cars that can solve the high gas demand problem, but refuse to market them. We need Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Loss of revenue can make large companies, even the auto industries; change their “business model”. Sure the government can help with legislation to force them to put out new technology, but the true power is in our hands. Stop buying or leasing NEW gasoline powered cars for a year. Tell everyone to wait a year. See my vids.

  16. GkillerDogg says:

    I believe BMW have been on this tech for a long time now, the internal combustion motor however will never pass.. it will remain due to high performance and a lot of horse power. The electric fuel cell cannot out perform the combustion motor .

  17. tooomp says:

    Fuel cells are way off in the future if they ever happen. Once created you will need infrastructure to support. All electric vehicles need is mass produced lithium batteries, to give them greater range with less added weight. Once EVs hit the market, mom and pop electric fueling stations will quickly fill the need, after all electric is everywhere. Also, EVs are a good way to store solar energy, as opposed to selling it back to utility co. for 1/5th the cost you pay.

  18. voyager1985 says:

    The EV-1 from General Motors Saturn division/The ford Ranger Electric truck / The Toyota Rav4 EV/ The Honda EV Pluss+

  19. imitokay says:

    I hate to break it to you, but its the american mind set, not the president or congress, that keeps us subservient(sp?) to oil. If people were more proactive as a whole, we might actually stand a chance. Until some major crisis happens, we will never switch.

  20. twintailtiger says:

    But it uses more electricity to extract the hydrogen from water to put it in fuel cells than just putting electricity in batteries! Anyways… we will need a whole lot more electricity than what we can produce now!! Where will it come from?!?!
    GO GREEN!

  21. ssredwave says:

    actually most sources for these cars hydrogen is using large amounts of high voltage to split distilled water. ABSOLUTELY ANOTHER RETARDED CAR COMPANY SOLUTION. Its as rediculously wasteful as corn for ethenol for less miles per gallon. (and im in iowa where i benefit from corn sales) HYDROGEN FUEL CELL makes its own electricity and spews clean water!!

  22. theoneagain says:

    if you want a hybrid make one yourself thats what i did with my diesel i run on vege oil and in france that s illegal because i dont pay TAX ON PETROLEUM PRODUCTS T.I.P.P THEY FINE ME 130 EUROS FOR DRIVING with this stuff FUCKING MAD WORLD

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