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24th January 2007

Ford Motor Company yesterday unveiled the world’s first drivable fuel cell hybrid electric plug-in prototype, which combines an onboard hydrogen fuel cell generator with lithium-ion batteries to deliver over 41 mpg with zero emissions. The Edge-based vehicle, drivable unlike the Airstream concept displayed at the Detroit Show this month, is built on a flexible powertrain architecture that Ford will still be able to use as new fuel and propulsion technologies as develop without redesigning the vehicle.

“This vehicle offers Ford the ultimate in flexibility in researching advanced propulsion technology,” said Gerhard Schmidt, vice president of research and advanced engineering for Ford. “We could 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 new HySeries Drive powertrain, featured in a Ford Edge, uses a real-world version of the powerplant shown in the Ford Airstream concept unveiled earlier this month at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The HySeries Drive powertrain delivers a combined city/highway gasoline-equivalent fuel economy rating of 41 mpg, though for those who drive less than 50 miles each day, the average jumps to more than 80 mpg.

“We wanted to take what was in a ‘gee whiz’ vehicle like the Airstream and connect it with something people are driving on the road today, something that wasn’t just a futuristic concept vehicle,” Schmidt said.

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. Individual experiences will vary widely and can stretch out the time between fill-ups to more than 400 miles: drivers who travel less than 50 miles each day will see fuel economy well over 80 mpg, while those with long daily commutes will see somewhat lower numbers as the fuel cell must run a larger fraction of the time.

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.

When the battery pack is depleted to approximately 40%, the hydrogen fuel cell – supplied by Ford partner Ballard – automatically turns on and begins generating electricity to recharge the batteries. The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive will go until it runs out of fuel – stored in a 350-bar hydrogen tank that supplies 4.5 kg of useable hydrogen.

Ford admits that many significant technical hurdles need to be overcome before a vehicle such as the Edge with HySeries Drive can become a reality, including the cost of lithium-ion batteries, the cost of fuel cell vehicle manufacture, the durability of fuel cells, and the availability of a hydrogen infrastructure.