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Ford's first production hydrogen-powered fuel cell car

Ford has celebrated the production of a new Focus fuel cell vehicle (FCV), the first in a fleet of high-tech Focus FCVs that will be deployed in Michigan, California and Florida in response to the US Department of Energy's solicitation, titled "Controlled Hydrogen Fleet and Infrastructure Demonstration and Validation Project."

Ford vp Dr Gunter Schmidt (right) celebrates the first production Focus FCV that is being trialled in three US states plus Canada and Germany

Additional vehicles will be placed in Vancouver , British Columbia and Berlin , Germany under programmes sponsored by the Canadian and German governments. Additionally, Ford is working with BP to build a network of hydrogen fuelling stations in these markets to support the vehicles. Some BP hydrogen refuelling stations will evaluate technologies that have near-term commercial feasibility, such as reformation of natural gas, while others will explore more long-term technology options and assess the potential to produce renewable-based hydrogen that achieve US DOE hydrogen fuel cost targets.

Using a fuel cell powertrain supplied by Ballard Power Systems, the Focus FCV is one of the industry's first hybridised fuel cell vehicles combining the improved range and performance of hybrid technology with the overall benefits of a fuel cell.

"This Focus FCV is the most sophisticated environmental vehicle Ford has developed," said Dr Gerhard Schmidt, Ford vice president, research and advanced engineering. "As such, is a critical success in our long-term strategy to move toward high volume production of hydrogen powered cars and trucks. It combines our hybrid expertise with advanced fuel cell technology resulting in a vehicle that combines the improved range and performance of a hybrid with the overall benefits of a fuel cell.”