| With electric power from the latest generation fuel cell
technology, the car will deliver exceptional fuel efficiency and ultra low emissions,
while providing similar range, top speed and performance to today’s gasoline models. "Ford
is a world leader in the application of fuel cell technology, and the FC5 is built around
the most advanced fuel cell installation yet developed," says Neil Ressler, chief
technical officer of Ford Motor Company. "By locating most of the fuel cell
installation beneath the vehicle floor, our engineers have given the design team the
freedom to create space for an uncompromised five-passenger vehicle. The Ford FC5 gives a
first impression of how this could look."
Practical electric-driven vehicles based on fuel cell technology
Reckoned by many experts to be the most practical technology available for next
generation family vehicles, fuel cells generate electricity by electrochemically combining
oxygen from the atmosphere with hydrogen from a fuel source. The process is efficient,
silent and without combustion. In the Ford FC5, the hydrogen would be extracted from
methanol, which is both easy to handle and produces very low emissions.
Ford FC5 shows fuel cell vehicle operation
The Ford FC5 concept in Frankfurt is designed to illustrate the operation of a fuel
cell vehicle that uses a methanol reformer. The entire car bodyshell lifts to reveal the
main elements of the innovative power system, starting with the fuel tank for storing the
liquid methanol. From here the methanol passes into a ‘reformer’ which extracts
the clean hydrogen required.
The bodyshell of the Ford FC5 concept on display in Frankfurt has been designed to
maximise the customer package. Driver and passenger space would not be compromised to
accommodate the fuel cell system, and there would be a large and usable boot, with easy
access via the tailgate.
FC5 Concept’s exterior lighting systems were developed in conjunction with Visteon
Automotive Systems for minimal package intrusion and efficient operation. Headlamps
incorporate high-intensity-discharge (HID) high beam bulbs, and a high-efficiency remote
HID low beam system uses fibre optics to pipe light to the custom tailored lightweight
lens in the lamp.
FC5’s tail lamps are totally transparent when not illuminated. This is
accomplished with high-efficiency LED blade manifold optics which require only minimal
package space. The turn signals also use high-efficiency LEDs with special optical
diffusers.
Driveable fuel-cell vehicle from Ford too
Though the Ford FC5 is a static display vehicle, Ford already has a road-going fuel
cell vehicle under intensive evaluation, with the Mondeo-based P2000 HFC. Unlike the Ford
FC5, P2000 HFC uses fuel in the form of pure gaseous hydrogen. The vehicle produces only
electricity and pure water, and there is no requirement for the fuel reforming process.
However, there are major barriers to developing a hydrogen fuelling infrastructure, so
methanol-based vehicles like the Ford FC5 look much more viable in the immediate future.
Ford Motor Company plans to begin low volume production of fuel cell vehicles by 2004.
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