
Ford readies hydrogen vehicles
Date: Friday, October 03, 2003 @ 00:57:22 UTC Topic: General
Ford readies hydrogen vehicles
Internal combustion engine uses clean fuel
BY WILLIAM DIEM
DETROIT FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER
SONOMA, Calif. -- Ford Motor Co. is preparing a fleet of ordinary vehicles powered by pure hydrogen gas instead of liquid gasoline. They will be sold to government agencies for on-road testing beginning in 2005. At the Challenge Bibendum, an exposition of developing powertrains, Ford showed two Focuses modified to burn hydrogen.
These shouldn't be confused with fuel-cell vehicles, which don't have internal combustion engines. Fuel cells use an electrochemical reaction to convert hydrogen (or hydrogen-rich fuel) and oxygen into electricity, emitting only heat and water vapor.
Ford's lineup included the Focus H2ICE, which has a 2.3-liter internal combustion engine powered by gaseous hydrogen, and the hybrid H2RV, which supplements the hydrogen-fueled engine with an electric motor.
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