Ford's plug-in Edge shows fuel cell potential

Gerry Malloy

When Ford introduced its radically-styled Airstream concept at the Detroit auto show, its equally radical powertrain received little attention.

The company responded to those critics last week by introducing a driveable Ford Edge concept incorporating the same technology – plug-in hybrid, hydrogen fuel-cell combination – at an auto show in Washington, D.C.

"We wanted to take what was in a `gee whiz' vehicle like the Airstream and connect it with something people are driving on the road today, something that wasn't just a futuristic concept vehicle," says Gerhard Schmidt, vice-president of research and advanced engineering for Ford.

The car combines a Ballard hydrogen fuel-cell generator with 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged by plugging into a household electrical outlet to provide full-time electric operation. Ford says the vehicle is built on a flexible powertrain architecture that will enable the company to use new fuel and propulsion technologies as they develop without redesigning the vehicle.

Ford calls the powertrain concept HySeries Drive. General Motors introduced a similar concept, called E-Flex in the Chevrolet Volt concept at the Detroit auto show.

In the Edge, the HySeries Drive powertrain delivers a combined city/highway gasoline-equivalent fuel consumption rating of 5.7 L/100 km for a full tank of hydrogen. But for those who drive less than 80 km each day, and recharge each night, the average drops to less than 3.0 L/100 km, Ford says.

Ford cautions that many significant technical hurdles need to be overcome before a vehicle such as the Edge with HySeries Drive can become a reality.

Fuel-cell vehicles remain expensive, costing millions of dollars each. And the single biggest hurdle to plug-ins remains the cost of lithium-ion batteries.

CLEAN DIESEL JETTA FOR 2008

Because of ever-tightening emissions standards, Volkswagen has no 2007 diesel models on offer – just a few carryover 2006 Golfs and Jettas. But that situation will be rectified for 2008.

The company revealed the 2008 Jetta TDI last week in Washington, D.C., proclaiming it the cleanest VW diesel ever.

It will meet emissions standards applicable in Canada and all 50 U.S. states, including the "Tier 2/Bin 5" or California "LEV II/LEV" requirement, which limits nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to an infinitesimal 0.03 g/km. NOx is a smog-forming exhaust component typically more prevalent in diesel than in gasoline engines.

Unlike most other diesels being developed to meet those tough NOx limits, the Jetta TDI will do so without the use of urea injection into the exhaust.

Rather, it will employ a special nitrogen oxide storage catalyst. The associated engine management system changes operating modes periodically to treat the NOx that has been stored in the catalytic converter, thus reducing total NOx emissions by up to 90 per cent..

In addition, another filter in the exhaust system substantially reduces particulate emissions – the fine black particles commonly known as soot. The Jetta TDI will be one of the first products to wear the Bluetec label. It is scheduled to arrive in the spring of 2008.

The company says there are no current plans to reintroduce a diesel Rabbit, however.

HYDROGEN 7 FOR TORONTO

The Canadian première of the BMW Hydrogen 7 – billed as the world's first hydrogen-powered luxury performance car – will take place next month at the Canadian International AutoShow, the car maker says.

Based on BMW's conventional 7 Series sedan, the Hydrogen 7 is equipped with a 12-cylinder internal combustion engine capable of running either on cryogenic (ultra-cold) liquid hydrogen or gasoline, at the touch of a button.

When operating in hydrogen mode, the big tourer emits almost nothing but pure water vapour.

With rated outputs of 260 hp and 287 lb.-ft. of torque, it accelerates from 0-to-100 km/h in 9.5 seconds.

The Hydrogen 7 will be built in a limited series production for drivers in the U.S. and Europe in 2007.

HERTZ SELLS MUSTANG RACERS

Did you hear the one about the used rental car that sold for more than its brand-new list-price?

No joke – it's true!

And it is not just one car, but potentially up to 500.

Last spring, Ford, Shelby and Hertz celebrated the 40th anniversary of Hertz's original 1966 Shelby GT350H "Rent-A-Racer" program with the introduction of the Shelby GT-H – a performance version of the current Mustang less extreme than the Shelby GT 500.

Like the originals, they featured automatic transmissions, black paint with gold striping, and modified body, suspension and powertrain components. The limited run of 500 cars was final-assembled at Shelby Automobiles in Las Vegas.

After a few months on the rental-car circuit, Hertz began selling off the cars in December, with the first five going by public auction. Those five, with odometer readings ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 km, sold for prices ranging from $68,000 (all figures U.S.) to as high as $90,000.

The remaining cars will be sold exclusively to licensed Ford dealers, who can in turn sell them to the public.

Rumblings

GM is scheduled to unveil a rear-wheel-drive Pontiac called the G8 next week at the Chicago auto show. It will be a Pontiac-grilled version of the Holden Commodore, imported from Australia.

The vehicle's architecture will form the basis of the forthcoming Chevrolet Camaro, to be built in Oshawa.

wheels@thestar.ca;

mgmalloy@aol.com

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