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Ford Edge with HySeries Drive -- Images courtesy AutoblogGreen
Ford brings fuel cells and plug-in hybrid technologies together in a new concept vehicle

It's a great time to be a technology geek in the automotive world. Over the past year, we've seen some impressive gains in "clean diesel" technology, advanced fuel cell concepts, more powerful gasoline-electric hybrid automobiles and hybrids with plug-in capabilities. Ford is now upping the ante with a special version of its recently introduced Edge crossover utility vehicle (CUV).

The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive concept features a flexible vehicle architecture which allows it to accept a wide variety of powertrain options. HySeries Drive technology allows the Edge to accept gasoline engines, diesel engines or fuel cells which can be used in conjunction with an electric motor and battery pack. This allows Ford to produce, for example, a gasoline-electric hybrid version for North America and a diesel-electric hybrid version for Europe. "This vehicle offers Ford the ultimate in flexibility in researching advanced propulsion technology," said Ford Motor Company's Gerhard Schmidt.

In its current form, the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive uses a 350-bar hydrogen fuel cell (4.5 kg of useable hydrogen) in addition to electric motors which are fed by a 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack. The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive is always powered by its battery pack, but the pack itself can be recharged in one of two ways.

Since the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive is a plug-in hybrid, the batteries can be fully topped off by plugging the vehicle into a standard home outlet using the onboard 110/220 charger. Once the battery pack has been whittled down to 40% capacity, its second source of recharging comes online. The hydrogen fuel cell takes over and generates electricity to replenish the battery pack.

All of this technology working together gives the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive the equivalent combined city/highway economy rating of 41MPG. The vehicle is able to operate for the first 25 miles on battery power alone given a fully topped off battery. After that point, the fuel cell kicks in to replenish the batteries giving an additional 200 miles of range. According to Ford, the equivalent economy rating could jump to 80MPG for drivers who travel less than 50 miles per day.

Ford acknowledges that is has technological challenges ahead of it in its efforts to bring HySeries Drive technology to production. The company cites the need for a healthier hydrogen refueling infrastructure, more durable fuel cell components and more cost-effective lithium-ion batteries.

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An SUV?
By Spivonious on 1/23/2007 3:48:59 PM , Rating: 2
Something tells me that most SUV owners aren't concerned about the environment. If they were then no one would buy huge Hummer H2s that get 2mpg. Put this system in the Focus, Ford. I want my 100mpg car now.




RE: An SUV?
By Grast on 1/23/07, Rating: -1
RE: An SUV?
By Grast on 1/23/07, Rating: -1
RE: An SUV?
By Ringold on 1/23/2007 8:14:53 PM , Rating: 2
I thought only Sith Lords dealt in absolutes?

But anyway. I agree. This guy is the type that, whether he knows it or not, is part of the environmental anti-capitalist camp. The economy be damned, save the polar bears we must.

Grast, if you have the cash to buy a H2, park it in your drive way, and let it run all day through the summer so you never get in and find it hot or all winter so you can get in and never find it cold then go right ahead! That goes for anybody. What you do with your money, your property, or your self as an adult is up for nobody else to judge, know, or interfere with.

George Washington would slap some of these commies rallying under the false banner of environmentalism.

Speaking of Sith Lords, the sooner Earth looks like Coruscant the better.


RE: An SUV?
By AlmostExAMD on 1/24/2007 4:34:55 AM , Rating: 1
Hell yeah, Can't wait for the 1 billion Chinese and 1 billion Indian's to catch on to this idea, Now that their economies are getting richer they too can leave their cars on all day, Yippie... Look at all that polar ice melt, Might be wise to invest in a boat while they are at it, They are gonna need it with the attitude some morons are implying. A little common sense along with your FREEDOM/CHOICE would be good. WE ALL play a part on this planet of ours, Until we colonise another I suggest we tread a little more carefully and look after this one as THIS IS THE ONLY HABITABLE planet we know of as yet.


RE: An SUV?
By masher2 (blog) on 1/24/2007 9:48:50 AM , Rating: 4
> "Look at all that polar ice melt, Might be wise to invest in a boat while they are at it..."

One thing rarely mentioed in the debate is that polar ice has been melting steadily for the last 7,000 years and that, even within the last 100, no acceleration of the trend has yet been seen.

The most recent UN IPCC assessment halved the amount of sea level rise expected over the next 100 years. It now stands at 43 centimeters. Not going to need many boats at all from a rise that small.


RE: An SUV?
By Grast on 1/24/2007 11:47:22 AM , Rating: 1
Ringhold,

I do not have the cash to buy an H2 nor do I want to. I was making a comment illustrating that Americans do have the right to spend their based on personal choices. I believe that choices will be the determining factor in changing U.S. consumer purchases.

As soon as the technology can provide the same or near equal capabilites as current gas vehicles, we will see a mass movement of consumers to more eco friendly vehicles.

I just have a problem with someone saying I am a bad person for not prescribing to their view of the world.


RE: An SUV?
By masher2 (blog) on 1/23/2007 8:22:03 PM , Rating: 2
> "How do you know if these SUV drivers have solar on their house and as such are using their quota of energy usage in the car rather than house..."

A very good point. In any case, I'd bet anything that my H2 Hummer (when I owned it) used less gas than the OP's own vehicle. Consumption is governed more by the miles you drive, than the MPG you get while doing it.


RE: An SUV?
By Spivonious on 1/24/2007 10:43:21 AM , Rating: 2
Actually, I get 28/37 and drive roughly 20 miles/day unless I'm on a trip somewhere. That's ~1.5 gallons per day. H2 gets what, 5mpg city? For the same driving, that's ~4 gallons per day. Average cost of gas these days: $2.25/gal, so I spend $3.38 and you spend $9.

And my point was not about saving the ice caps or some other environmentalist propaganda. I think global warming is a load of B.S.. My point was that people concerned about saving money by buying a hybrid (which really is the only reason) are not SUV owners. If Ford put this technology which lets an SUV get 40mpg into a small compact car like the Focus (which btw, is the car I own), it would get at least 100mpg. Isn't that a better use of technology? I'd rather have a super fuel-efficient car than an SUV that manages to match a regular car.


RE: An SUV?
By masher2 (blog) on 1/24/2007 11:00:16 AM , Rating: 2
> "H2 gets what, 5mpg city? "

Mine averaged about 11mpg city.

> "If Ford put this technology which lets an SUV get 40mpg into a small compact car like the Focus..Isn't that a better use of technology? "

Ford is also bulding subcompact hybrids. However, for system such as this (hydrogen + hybrid electric) it naturally lends itself to a larger platform. It's a bit hard to cram all that into a tiny vehicle...at least, until the technology matures a bit.

People are going to buy SUVs regardless. If you don't give them a hybrid option, they won't buy one. I'd never buy a subcompact anything....but I'd certainly be interested in a hybrid SUV.



RE: An SUV?
By AlmostExAMD on 1/24/07, Rating: -1
RE: An SUV?
By milomnderbnder21 on 1/23/2007 9:03:17 PM , Rating: 1
Yes yes, we fought the Revolution so you could drive your giant gas guzzling SUV. That was a stupid argument.

Sure, you have the right to buy what is on the market, but that doesn't make it responsible to do so. I don't care how many solar panels you have rigged to your house, something like an H2 is an exceptionally unnecessary waste of resources. I imagine that most people driving SUV's have no realistic need for them.

And yes, a greater effort in general is important to achieve something even remotely close to a sustainable living situation. Cars are far from the only problem. But they are not a bad place to start. They've been around long enough, and alternative energy sources have been known long enough, that it's ridiculous that we are still so dependent on gasoline. The american way of life in general is absurdly wasteful and in need of refining. It really is dumb to operate with zero concern for our planet.

I dont remember the poster saying anything about persecution from the government, that was another stupid straw man.


RE: An SUV?
By masher2 (blog) on 1/23/2007 9:38:12 PM , Rating: 3
> "something like an H2 is an exceptionally unnecessary waste of resources..."

To repeat myself, I'm confident my H2 used less gas than your own vehicle. Its not what you drive as much as how far you drive it. SUVs are just a symbol...useful for simplying a situation for people unable to grasp the true picture.

> "I imagine that most people driving SUV's have no realistic need for them."

Beyond a cave to squat in and a few grubs to eat, we don't "need" anything. Your clothes, your car, your house, and even the computer you used to post this on...is all unnecessary luxury. Why not give it all up, if you honestly believe its harming the earth? Or is it more fun to just sit on your butt and tell other people what they need to sacrifice?




RE: An SUV?
By Ringold on 1/23/2007 11:33:41 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Or is it more fun to just sit on your butt and tell other people what they need to sacrifice?


More or less.


RE: An SUV?
By S3anister on 1/24/2007 1:21:37 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
SUVs are just a symbol


EXACTALLY. Seriously, when i want to use my SUV for when it snows like crazy here, then freezes all of the roads (like always, nothing we can do about it) I LOVE to have my SUV.

But, when i'm just driving around; I'm out and about driving my BMW or Ford Focus. much better fuel economy.

and by the by, all the people that I know whom own SUV's all use them as like you said masher, a symbol. They usually roll in their porsches or bentleys, cadillac etc...


RE: An SUV?
By AlmostExAMD on 1/24/07, Rating: 0
RE: An SUV?
By masher2 (blog) on 1/24/2007 9:51:50 AM , Rating: 3
> "Now I'm not saying you don't use yours, But all the people I know from my work DEFINITELY don't use theirs!"

An SUV that isn't used-- consumes no gasoline. The people driving their Prius 100 miles each way to work are producing more CO2 than the guys who only drive their Hummer Friday nights to impress the ladies.


RE: An SUV?
By Spivonious on 1/24/2007 10:55:11 AM , Rating: 2
Everytime I see an H2 I say "what a waste of steel." My fiancee says "I guess his dick is small."

Let's forget about H2s for a while. Ford Explorer. 80% of the people I see driving Explorers are women in business suits. Do these people ever take their SUV off-road? No. Do they drive them only on the weekends? No. They drive them on the highway for their daily commute, for picking up the kids from school, for doing errands. It is not possible for these people to have any concern for gas usage, otherwise they would not be driving an SUV as their main vehicle. Masher, usually I respect and learn from your posts on DT, but it seems I've struck a nerve with my H2 comment and brought out the stubborn SUV owner in you.