Comments on: Ford HySeries Drive concept

By: 1966_GTO_

1966_GTO_ — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:01:11 +0000

That sure is an ugly vehicle, but props to Ford for the good concept.

By: A4

A4 — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 16:15:44 +0000

hahahaha i love the picture with all the smoke billowing from behind it. seems about right to me.

By: Syrax

Syrax — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 04:33:27 +0000

aren’t those rims from land rover?

By: Vdub

Vdub — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 02:57:21 +0000

uhh..i dont know waht that red button is but is it smart putting it right next to the cup holder?

By: cubical

cubical — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:46:06 +0000

Something like this would be perfect for me around the city..my work commute is 1 mile per day round trip.

By: autonutt

autonutt — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:08:10 +0000

Good Lord! With those HUGE wheels the Edge looks Honda Fit-sized!

By: Syrax

Syrax — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 23:16:46 +0000

“It needs to have a universal platform that you can add what ever type of model you want. Such as a car or a truck or a van. Based on the same platform.”
Comment by XeroBlue, posted on January23 at 1:45 pm

That reminded me of the GM Hy-Wire. The idea was pretty good at the time. I even thought the car looked good…

By: Bimmer

Bimmer — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 22:38:57 +0000

WTF, no Sound System and only ONE cupholder!? (jokingly)

By: Brendino

Brendino — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:44:47 +0000

Great concept.

Until you see the pictures.

Seriously, why does ‘hybrid’ have to equal ‘ugly’?

By: Cooper

Cooper — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:37:16 +0000

Kenny W, Honda’s at home hydrogen refueling unit uses your own natural gas line to make its hydrogen. It also provides an electricity boost to your house and it heats your water heater.

By: Piablo

Piablo — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:20:30 +0000

^^ I have no doubt an LAPD Prius, complete with roof top flashing lights, will command a tremendous amount of respect in a high speed chase on the freeway. LMAO!!!!! All joking aside, the only real application of your suggestion would be the post office. I could see the mail carriers going box to box in an elecric car. But electric fire trucks seem like an oxymoron not to mention how many tons of batteries would one need to power a 10 ton utility truck? I would rather save my tax dollars and spend it myself. Using a nation’s hard earned tax money to create an artificial market is simply wrong.

As far as hydrogen goes… My bet is on putting the infrastructure costs on the people. Hydrogen is the most plentiful substance in the universe, and on planet earth. Ethanol is not. Fuel cells will eventually become the way of the near future, me thinks. And to do so, individuals will be installing a hydrogen station, much like a fuel oil barrel, on their property. Until then, I will be waiting for Fusion power to come available.

By: car-a-holic

car-a-holic — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 19:13:03 +0000

Xeroblue…
Why totally unusable?
the technology for fuel cells is here…the argument usually is cost or infrastructure. If time and money were dedicated the infrastructure wouldnt be the impossibility the politicians who are funded by the energy corps say they are.

By: XeroBlue

XeroBlue — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 18:47:55 +0000

I forgot to say these hydrogen concepts are much like the Jet powered concept of old! Cool but totally unusable.

By: XeroBlue

XeroBlue — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 18:45:45 +0000

60 of all “ALL electric” car owners use solar power to recharge their cars. I was going to say ppl in this country are stupid for not doing this but im one of them! LOL i honestly think my next car will be electric, such as from Tesla. What needs to happen is the govt should contract out a fleet of all electric vehicles, for police, fire, medical, post office, and a host of other uses. It needs to have a universal platform that you can add what ever type of model you want. Such as a car or a truck or a van. Based on the same platform. This will ramp up production of the technology needed such as battery technology and production and other electronic products needed. In turn this will make it cheaper and more available for the main auto companies to take that technology and turn it into real world productions units. Its our tax paying dollars NOT at work here. This is the answer. If we spent half the money we spent on this retarded war we could have invested in something like this. Reducing our dependency on the very oil we are going to war over.

By: Kenny W

Kenny W — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 18:31:48 +0000

Someone correct me if I’m wrong but don’t both GM & Honda have “at home” refueling stations in development for Hydrogen powered vehicles? I realize there are still numerous hurdles to overcome when it comes to a large scale economy, but why can’t something like that paired with vehicles such as this Edge or the Volt become a reality now (at least for a select few that are wealthy enough). It would be excellent PR while at the same time allowing these vehicles to be tested under real world conditions. I’m fairly certain the at home stations use electricity, but that still would use less resources than gas as the factories producing the electricity are much more efficient than the ICE.

I like the idea of Hydrogen/Electric hybrids, but it seems so far away at the current rate of development. So many great ideas that seem destined to remain nothing more.

By: Hyperion

Hyperion — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 18:26:41 +0000

I hate SUVs of all kinds with a passion but I think this vehicle looks very good. Why can’t they make all of their cars look clean and refined like this?

It’s still and SUV, however. Maybe that helps them with their packaging of the batteries, electric motors, hydrogen storage systems, etc. just for the prototype. When they begin showing an AFFORDABLE Ford Mustang with an IRS rear and some kind of fully electric hydrogen drive that has 300 horsepower and at least 350 miles of range, I’ll be interested.

Very good ideas, very good R&D.

By: rey323

rey323 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 18:23:39 +0000

Fairly bold move Ford! Though, it seems that the Volt is a bit more flexible allowing for gas, diesel, or Hydrogen fuel cell power plants. This technology should be adapted with a gas engine for today’s needs. Leverage production costs to drive price down and work on improving what technology will be transitioned over when the hydrogen fuel cell is ready.

By: Kaptain75329

Kaptain75329 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 17:44:21 +0000

Seeing concepts like this are depressing because there’s no way to actually build them. The infrastructure required to support cars like this seems only a theory to most of us on the outside. There are so many external factors out of Ford’s control (politics, among other things) that need to be sorted in order to build the Hydrogen Infrastructure. Since everyone has their own idea of what is the “best way” to accomplish this huge task, we’re all in for a long ride that makes the joke of a fight between blu-ray and hd-dvd a whole lot less funny when you begin realize that’s the polite version of what we’re going to see in the next several years ahead, assuming progress gets far enough for it to be an issue in the first place.
.
All the same, I think this concept is still pretty cool, but I wonder what the hang up is with fuel cells. I can’t help but agree with golf4me – I think internal combustion engines are the best solution until fuel cells become more feasible and cost-effective. I saw a video on fordboldmoves.com where this was mentioned as Ford’s strategy. The idea is to use the IC engine as a bridge to a hydrogen future; hydrogen powered cars that are more affordable would sell when there’s a minimal infrastructure, and the expansion of each contributes to the success of the other as time moves on. Sounds a little science-fiction, but Ford engineers seem pretty confident that it can work and work well indeed.

By: Sharif

Sharif — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 17:43:56 +0000

watch the price for a barrel of electricity cuz it is going to go up. I think we should switch to diesel and do that whole hydrogen/solar/electric **** later when we have better technology.

By: Phileas Fogg

Phileas Fogg — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 17:19:45 +0000

This is great, I’m happy Ford’s going this direction.

By: 1234

1234 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 17:16:58 +0000

Wow – looks good Ford! Maybe you guys are not destined for the trash heap after all. Maybe I will buy another Ford…

By: XeroBlue

XeroBlue — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 17:00:50 +0000

DUMB instead of spending all this cash on products that have NO hope of solving our current problems NOW, they could have invested that into a plug in hybrid Fusion that goes 40 miles on electric only. It truly is that simple.

By: golf4me

golf4me — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:44:46 +0000

hmmm another pie in the sky idea car, just what ford needs right now.

A) if your local electricity is not nuclear or wind, you are creating more emissions than a newer gas or diesel powered vehicle for the same mileage. B) The conversion of “whatever” they are using for a hydrogen will use a LOT of source A.

The technology will come, but until someone builds a dedicated nuclear plant to produce the electricity needed to convert water into hydrogen (this takes A LOT of electricity), any type of hydrogen infrastructure will be too expensive to contemplate, and at which time this comes into being, IC powerplants will be the most cost efficient way to put that power to the ground anyway. Fuel cells & batteries & motors & electronics to run it all will always be more expensive.

Ford needs to put whatever money they are spending on fluff like this into rushing development of the new F150, RWD platforms, and tooling to re-do the hideous 3-Bar grilles…

By: Andre Neves

Andre Neves — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:37:55 +0000

OMG is that a Hydroden bomb infront of the Capitol building!? JK

By: jamhole538

jamhole538 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:30:21 +0000

80pph and 225 mile ranger that would be cool for me….i drive only 2 miles to work and back also i dont plan on taking this thing on long road trips….perfect for a city driver like myslef

By: Blakkarr

Blakkarr — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:29:07 +0000

I like this one too. But A more practical solution like the GM Volt would by better I think. Fuel Cells are still pretty far off, Hydrogen even further if you can believe the energy companies. Ford is trying, a bit late, but trying.

For now, a small gas engine, generator, battery pack, and motors. That is the real short term future I think.

By: 55amg

55amg — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:21:05 +0000

funny enough, i like it. cars with zero emissions are cool!! GO GO GO. looks good too.
now im waiting for GMnumber1 to come bash this thing up. we can all have a laugh soon

By: bb_454

bb_454 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:13:55 +0000

The cost I’m sure is a huge issue, but I think the large issue is the availability of place to fill up is a bigger task. I know there are people willing to spend 60k+ for a hydrogen car, but building fueling stations in enough locations to accommodate the vehicles is impossible right now.

By: buenos

buenos — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:47:05 +0000

So for someone like me, with a 14 km roundtrip commute to work, it would be concievable that the hydrogen motor would never come on at all. Nice. Wonder what it would do to my electricity bill?

By: deutschetouring1337

deutschetouring1337 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:34:34 +0000

AH but the cost for these is atleast 60k and thats why Honda has held off releasing there FuelCell until technology costs come down. Right now companies are just showcasing they have the technology but cost per vehicle is huge.

By: bb_454

bb_454 — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:28:12 +0000

The Volt seems to be more practical at the moment, but this is a great step for Ford. All the Enviro-nuts should be jumping for joy right now. Although 80mph and only a 225 mile range sucks.