Ford Hydrogen Engine

In an effort to develop a fuel-alternative engine that will meet ever-more restrictive requirements for reduction of carbon emissions, Ford began experimenting with plans for a proprietary hydrogen engine in the early 2000s. After years of laboratory and field testing, Ford Canada announced in July 2006 that it would soon launch a fleet of H2ICE shuttle buses. The first of three of the buses were delivered to Canadian Parliament in Ottowa in December 2006. Ford has ongoing plans to deliver these shuttles to other Canadian provinces where one combustion engine bus will be retired for each H2ICE bus added.

The Canadian Government was a major catalyst in Ford's push to perfect the H2 engine and Industry of Canada invested $4.2 Million Canadian in the H2ICE shuttle bus development project. Ford continues to develop several alternative fuel technologies in addition to the hydrogen internal combustion engine:

Combustion engine/battery powered hybrids: Ford reports that the H2 engine can easily be hybridized to offer even better fuel efficiency with virtually extant carbon emissions.

Hydrogen fuel cells: A fleet of 30 hydrogen fuel cell equipped Ford Focus passenger vehicles have logged more than 580 km in seven countries around the globe.

Ethanol: Launched in Sweden in 2001, the C-MAX flexifuel ethanol-burning vehicle is being promoted as the car of the future for the European community.

Clean diesel: The introduction of an advanced diesel particulate filter to its existing diesel engine makes the Ford Super-Duty F Series the cleanest burning (and quietest) diesel on the road.

Refinements to gasoline fueled engines: Ford Germany has been perfecting its LPG and CNG technology to improve fuel consumption in traditional gasoline fueled engines by as much as 10%.

Advanced transmissions: Ford and GM have combined forces to perfect GM's E-Flex powertrain technology and implement the improved transmission into the Ford line.

The H2 engine required several changes in the manufacture and production of the engine and engine materials to ensure that the product would hold up to years of use. Changes include specialized hardened materials to hold up under the reduced lubrication offered by hydrogen combustion, iridium-tipped spark plugs, high energy ignition coils, high output pistons, rings and rods to stand up to the higher power generated by hydrogen combustion and new head gasket design to stand up to the high combustion environment of the hydrogen engine.

By decreasing operating costs to the consumer through the perfection of this recently released engine, Ford hopes to re-stimulate market interest in its larger passenger vehicles which have experienced decreasing sales in recent years.

BMW and Mercedes Benz are the only other major automobile manufacturers working on the H2 engine, but there have been no announcements about consumer-ready vehicles as of this writing. At the end of 2007 the two auto makers announced that they were nearing an agreement to collaborate on H2 engine design for the next generation of Mercedes A and B class small cars. BMW has not yet determined on which platform it will apply the new engines.

Cars That Run on Water Tip #1

No matter what anybody tells you, there is not yet a water powered car in production. That is an urban myth that reached its peak with Stanley Meyer who claimed that he drove one hundred miles using only four ounces of water (he was later convicted of fraud). The water powered engine hasn't even been invented yet. Scientists are still trying to figure out if it is even possible.

Cars That Run on Water Tip #2

Many major car manufacturers are embracing the idea of the hydrogen car. BMW hopes to release a hydrogen car to the public by 2008 (or 2010 at the latest) and other manufacturers like Toyota are also making plans to release hydrogen car lines. Of course the debate over using hydrogen in cars is still raging and nothing has been settled yet.

Cars That Run on Water Tip #3

While both a water based engine and a hydrogen engine will do wonders for fuel emissions and the environment, one of the major reasons people want them is to improve their fuel mileage. Of course, gas mileage can be improved right now. You can improve your gas mileage drastically just by driving sensibly and making sure your car is maintained properly.