Ford is pursuing its fuel-cell research with increasing effort. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, it revealed its FC5 fuel-cell-powered car, a static display vehicle that the company claims to be a "realistic vision" of what a five-door family car with this motive power might offer by 2005. Ford has installed the fuel-cell system beneath the FC5's floor to provide sufficient accommodation for five adults. Methanol is envisaged as a hydrogen source via a reformer.
Neil Ressler, Chief Technical Officer of Ford Motor Co., said that there are "still some significant hurdles to overcome" with fuel-cell technology. Although progress is being made, fuel-cell systems remain heavy, bulky — and costly. However, he believes that economies of scale will drive down costs.
The FC5 illustrates some of the technology that future cars may incorporate. Its exterior lighting systems, developed in conjunction with Visteon, use high intensity discharge (HID) high-beam bulbs, while a remote HID low-beam system incorporates fiber optics to "pipe light" to custom tailored lightweight lamp lenses. The taillamps are transparent when not illuminated. This is accomplished with high-efficiency LED blade-manifold optics which require only minimal package space, according to Ford. The turn signals also use high-efficiency LEDs with special optical diffusers.
Ford is continuing development of its road-going Mondeo-based P2000HFC fuel-cell vehicle — which has been driven by AEI — that uses pure gaseous hydrogen rather than reforming it via methanol. But Ford admits that a hydrogen-fuel infrastructure looks unlikely and that the methanol/reformer method may be the way forward. Ford plans to have a fuel-cell vehicle in production by 2004.
Ford also showed a prototype three-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine at Frankfurt. The 1.1-L engine is designated Zetec-SE 13 DISI and based on the company's four-cylinder Zetec SE, which has several applications. The engine is targeted at reducing emissions and fuel economy in an urban environment. Power output is a modest 55 kW (75 PS) at 5500 rpm. The engine uses a balance shaft and is said to incorporate "unique" exhaust catalytic converter technology.
The Ford ST200 Cougar, with 151-kW (202-hp) output from its 2.5-L engine, was shown at Frankfurt — presaging sales early next year. Power is up by about 20% compared to that of the standard car. Ford tuned the cylinder heads, camshafts, intake manifolds, and inlet and exhaust systems to find the extra power. The changes are said by Ford to imbue the ST200 with 230-km/h (143-mph) potential with a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) time of 7.8 s. The car's steering response is sharpened and suspension stiffened, though careful balancing of all suspension elements is said to ensure good ride quality.
Stuart Birch
Ford's FC5 shown as a static display has its fuel-cell system beneath the floor to provide sufficient accommodation for five adults.
Ford's Cougar ST200 has a 151-kW (202-hp) 2.5-L engine.
Ford's prototype three-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine displaces 1.1-L and produces 55 kW (75 PS) at 5500 rpm.
