Ford's Canadian visit combines hydrogen, PHEV charm offensive
For a vehicle that isn't for sale, Ford's sure getting a lot of mileage out of the HySeries Edge. As we mentioned last week, the car is spending some time up in Canada, and the Canadian press is enjoying a bit of face time with the hydrogen-loving prototype. Mujeeb Ijaz, Ford's manager of fuel-cell vehicle engineering, is giving interviews where he says that consumers will eventually flock to hydrogen vehicles because they give the same performance as today's vehicles, but until hydrogen is a reality it'll be plug-in hybrids will be the right interim solution.
"So I think that's a second type of market, maybe the first commercially viable market because it's got the greatest pull from the customer's point of view," Ijaz told Steve Mertl of The Canadian Press. A major automaker promoting PHEVs is exactly what a lot of green car advocates want to hear. We'll see when Ford finally lets us buy one.
Gallery: HySeries Edge
Gallery: Ford Sustainable Mobility Test Lab
[Source: Steve Mertl / The Canadian Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tony Belding 5:15PM (6/03/2007)
Still waiting for a lucid explanation of what hydrogen-fueled vehicles offer that batter-electric vehicles don't. Why in the world would I ever want to buy a hydrogen-fueled car? I just can't see it. This quote from the article says it all:
"People ultimately will demand fuel-cell vehicles that provide the same performance and flexibility as conventional autos powered by internal-combustion engines, says Mujeeb Ijaz. . ."
No. People will not demand "the same performance". They'll demand more and better. They'll demand better acceleration, the convenience of home recharging, and much lower operating costs due to the inherent efficiency of battery-electric vehicles. Companies like Tesla and Phoenix are paving the way for a great leap forward. Meanwhile Ford is promising a great leap sideways. That's not progress.
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mikeinBuilding7 5:29PM (6/03/2007)
- BioDiesel Electric Hybrid can:
1) fill up with veg. oil
2) plug in to the grid
3) optional, solar panel on the wagon version, recharge in the parking lot.
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Chris M 6:10PM (6/03/2007)
The real advantage to H2 fuel cell vehicles is to the companies that will sell the pricy new H2 fuel, the oil companies that will make H2 using their fossil fuels, the makers of costly fuel cells, the platinum mine companies providing pricy fuel cell catalysts, and the government agencies responsible for spending tax dollars on this boondoggle.
Not much advantage for consumers. H2 vehicles are more expensive, H2 fuel costs more, and H2 is much less efficient, compared to battery electrics.
Even refilling the high pressure H2 tanks will take a long time to do safely, so not much advantage over battery recharge times. If powered guideways are built that can provide electrical power "on the go", it would mark the end of hydrogen hype.
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Joseph 9:19PM (6/03/2007)
It's funny how the gov't and all the auto-companies have been pouring billions and billions of dollars into FCVs while Tesla Motors had only 50 million or so invested yet created a car that was more efficient, less expensive, more convenient, and quicker than all those FCVs.
The onyl downfall to the Tesla roadster is that it will go about 200-250 miles on a charge, compared to hydrogen that'll go 250-300 miles on a fueling.
Will anyone pay more for a worse car just b/c it can go ~50 miles further??? It seems Auto companies and the rest of the world is beginning to realise this too.
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GreyFlcn 11:50PM (6/03/2007)
If powered guideways are built that can provide electrical power "on the go", it would mark the end of hydrogen hype.
I'm assuming this means teslacoils being built into roadways. Kinda silly.
Instead what you will see more of is something like what PosiCharge, Phoenix Motors, and AltairNano displayed this week.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/05/30/aerovironment-successfully-quick-charges-altair-nanotechnologie/1
An AltairNano 35kWh battery pack with a 250kW PosiCharge quickcharger can charge up to 80% capacity in 1 minute.
With a 100% charge in 6 minutes.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/11/altair_nanotech.html
Much like how an EV1 could get a 80% charge in 12 minutes off of a 50kW charger.
http://www.altfuels.org/events/otherafv/quikchrg.html
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Besides which, the only real reason to make a "Hybrid" is to have it use existing gasoline infrastructure.
Pretty sure Hybrids, and PHEVs will be the next major step in driving. Which doesn't leave much room for hydrogen.
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The real irony is that Ford already uses a fleet of entirely electric forklifts powered by PosiCharge quickchargers to build our cars.
http://www.posicharge.com/ford.html
If it's good enough for them....
Then why can't we be allowed to drive it?
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Murc 1:25AM (6/04/2007)
I agree with Joseph...but Its not just the 50 miles range thing, I believe a big part of it is that a hydrogen (like gas) you just pull up to the station and fillit up, and in a couple minutes your on your way....While electric cars take several hours...I believe even a small car like the tesla roadster still takes 3-4 hours to fully charge...if they want this car to really get a grip, they need to offer safe and reliable quickcharge solutions, that could put you back on the road in under 15 minutes.
I'd Like to have an electric car...but there just way to expensive (IE: tesla's roadster goes for nearly 100k).
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COINTELPRO 11:41PM (6/04/2007)
Hydrogen can be used in a ICE and rotary engine utilizing the same type of parts that are being massed produced. Therefore, hydrogen doesn't need to be used in fuels cells with rare metals. Oil companies probably fear hydrogen since it could be generated onsite with water or natural gas.
Therefore, a Chevy Volt type setup with a small hydrogen ICE/rotary engine that recharges can reduce the size of the battery required and emit no pollution. Furthermore, having multiple fuels available will create competition to reduce cost and choice.
The approach that was taken with HDTV should be applied to alternative fuels. When the mandate by the FCC was created for HDTV in the 90's, the technology and capacity infrastructure was not available. However, the key players of the industry was able to respond because a market was guaranteed by the government.
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