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November 04, 2004
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?
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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.
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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 other 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.
Recently, Ford vice president for power-train operations, Dave Szczupak, said, "Hybrids are not a panacea for fuel economy." Yet, Szczupak has said, "The future is hydrogen, and we are uniquely positioned among automakers to lead the way."
Yet, by Ford's own admission, for hydrogen powered vehicles to compete with hybrid electric cars, Ford would have to create a hydrogen-powered hybrid electric cars.
All that can be asked, is what is the hold up? If the hybrid powertrain works for Ford's 1st generation of hydrogen-powered cars, why not create gasoline-hybrid electric cars in the short term? Just as Japan, Detroit could replace the gasoline engine with a hydrogen engine once stations are producing clean hydrogen.
The national security issues of global warming, clean air via reduced pollution and smog, ending foreign oil dependency - apparently - these issues are not of concern to American automakers.
Within two-plus years, by-the-time Ford produces 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.
Ultimately, why should we be surprised by Detroit. GM,
for example, blames their customers for their lack of
leadership, as GM's Scott Fosgard has stated, "If customers were interested in small vehicles, they'd be downsizing their houses, and a lot of other things. What sells is performance and what I would really call sex appeal. That's the tried and true."
Thanks for the leadership.
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