Ford has unveiled an advanced new hydrogen-powered H2ICE E-450 shuttle bus, a Ford E-450 chassis cab, with a shuttle bus body that seats up to 12 passengers and their luggage, including the driver. The engine is a modified 6.8-litre Triton V10 fuelled with hydrogen that has a range expected to be up to 240 km (150 miles) depending on conditions and vehicle load. The vehicle is equipped with a 26 gallon equivalent, 5,000 pound per square inch hydrogen fuel tank.
A Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2ICE) is a traditional internal combustion engine that is modified to run on hydrogen rather than petrol. Compared with today's engines, H2ICE delivers up to a 99.7 per cent reduction in CO2 and includes many of the benefits of a hydrogen fuel cell, but at a fraction of the cost.
The hydrogen-powered H21CE-E-450 shuttle bus that has been developed by Ford |
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"The hydrogen-fuelled shuttle bus is a product we could market to customers who need to move people in an efficient, environmentally friendly way," said Dr Gerhard Schmidt, Ford vice president, research and advanced engineering. "We think this is an interesting solution for airport transportation, for example. We believe that H2ICE vehicles will play a key role in justifying infrastructure development and accelerating a transition to a hydrogen economy.”
Ford is working with BP to build a network of hydrogen fuelling stations in demonstration fleet markets to support the fuel cell 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.
While the development of fuel cells continues, Ford believes H2ICE is a technology that will make hydrogen power more practical. Ford also is utilising H2ICEs to developing stationary back-up or supplemental power systems and off-street applications such as airport ground support vehicles. Making H2ICE accessible sooner will help spur growth in the development of a hydrogen infrastructure paving the way for fuel cells in the future.
Two of the H2ICE E-450s buses will serve as shuttle buses at the 2005 North American International Auto Show to demonstrate their capability. |
