Is Ford's "Cleanest Internal Combustion Engine" announcement really big news?

Recently, Ford announced that it had recently made significant breakthroughs and had created the world's 'cleanest internal combustion engine'. Moreover, the auto giant said production could begin within two years (Read Article).

So, is this big news?

Well, yes and no. On the yes side, any major accomplishment towards the 'hydrogen economy' is big news. On the no side, the car isn't fully-baked, so two years might be too optimistic.

Even if the car begins production in two years, there are still major obstacles, and Ford's claim begins to appear more smoke and mirrors, instead of some revolutionary breakthrough.

In order for the car to compete with hybrid cars, such as Toyota's Prius hybrid, or the Honda Accord Hybrid, Ford would have to create a hydrogen-electric hybrid vehicle.

Unfortunately, a hydrogen combustion engine alone only improves fuel-efficiency by 25 percent. Creating a hybrid, pushes the hydrogen-electric hybrid into the same efficiency percentages as gas-electric hybrids.

Of course, the looming question is, where will the hydrogen come from?

In California, Governor Schwarzenegger in October dedicated a hydrogen fueling station and called it "the first stop in a hydrogen highway". The Governator plans to have 200 more such stations by 2010, and while this is great news, the Gov's plan is far more aggressive than any federal plan to date.

Therefore, it seems the 'hydrogen economy' must still be at least a decade from reality. Yet, Detroit still drags it's feet on hybrids, even as the hydrogen future seems to drift so swiftly towards the same path Japan has taken with the hybrid.

And it's not as if Toyota and Honda aren't working on hydrogen, but they are also perfecting the hybrid vehicle powertrain and electrical system, as they develop hydrogen.

The Big 3 can't lead and won't follow the leader.

Refusing to accept failure is worse than failure itself. Detroit has thus far blown it on clean vehicles, and if they wait to pursue clean vehicles until the 'hydrogen revolution', they just might miss the revolution.

Yes, Ford has released the Escape Hybrid SUV, but they couldn't do it without Toyota's help.

Within two years, by-the-time Ford pushes the first hydrogen combustion engined vehicles, Toyota might have already sold more than a million hybrids. One million hybrid cars, trucks, SUVs and minivans will have much more affect on the world in two years than a fleet of hydrogen vehicles without any filling stations.