Vancouver, Canada for the first time saw the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive, the world's first drivable fuel cell hybrid electric car. This was part of a trip to showcase the advanced research car together with its most technologically advanced production car, the new 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid that is selling hotly since its introduction.
Combining an onboard hydrogen fuel cell generator and lithium-ion batteries, the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive yields combined 5.9 L/100km (41 mpg) city/highway gasoline equivalent fuel economy rating with zero emissions. The average reaches to over 3.0L /100 km (80 mpg) for those who drive less than 80 km (50 miles) each day.
The car's flexible power train architecture will enable Ford to use new fuel and propulsion technologies as they develop without making any changes to the car.
The new HySeries Drive™ power train featured in a Ford Edge makes use of a real-world version of the power plant foreseen in the Ford Air stream concept that was released in January at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In the later part of its month of release, the Edge with HySeries Drive went on the road and has accumulated more than 8000 real-world km (5000 miles).
At all times, the plug-in hybrid is powered by a 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack. Each day, the vehicle drives the first 40 km (25 miles) on stored electricity alone. Then, the fuel cell begins to operate so that the battery pack is kept charged. For a total of 360 km (225 miles) with no emissions, this provides another 320 km (200 miles) of range. Those who drive modestly would need to refuel only rarely; those who drive less than 80 km (50 miles) each day will experience fuel economy well over 3.0 L /100 km (80 mpg); and those who drive longer everyday will receive lower numbers as the fuel cell must run a larger fraction of the time.
The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive can travel at a maximum speed of 136 km/h (85 mph). When a standard home outlet is available, an on--board charger (110/220 VAC) can refresh the battery pack. The hydrogen fuel cell automatically turns on and starts to generate electricity so that batteries will be recharged. This happens when the battery pack is deteriorated to approximately 40 percent. The vehicle will go until it runs out of fuel. This is made possible because of a 350-bar hydrogen tank that gives 4.5 kg of useable hydrogen.
The HySeries Drive name came from the power train's structure. It is a hydrogen fuel-cell-powered series hybrid drive train. By more than 50 percent, this minimizes the size, weight, cost and complexity of a usual fuel cell system. It also ensures the fuel cell stack's longer lifetime.
Its flexible power train design allows the use of new fuel and propulsion technologies. They develop and become available without requiring the vehicle and the control system's restructuring. The research on the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive is part of Ford's research on hydrogen. This encompasses Ford's overall effort to face the challenges of change in climate and independence in energy.
Maker of quality Ford Taurus performance parts , Ford is simultaneously moving ahead with an array of technology solutions including vehicles like the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid, hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen internal combustion engines, ethanol, clean diesel and refinements to gasoline fueled engines and advanced transmissions.
Ford's short term technological approaches include those seen in Ford's lineup of hybrid vehicles. On the other hand, its long term approaches include hydrogen fell cells.
Since early 1990, Ford began working on hydrogen technology. Its first ever fuel cell vehicle was released in 2001 and was patterned on a lightweight aluminum sedan body, which was also used in the company's development of its first hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine.
Currently, the company is in a hurry to produce 30 hydrogen-powered Focus fuel cell vehicles as part of a worldwide, seven-city program to conduct real-world testing of fuel cell technology.
About the Author
Evander Klum is a Business Administration graduate who hails from Alabama. He enjoys extreme sports and he is also a car racing fanatic. At present, he works as a marketing manager at an advertising agency in Cleveland.
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