Ford Edge HySeries hybrid
Welcome to the driving seat of the Ford of the future! Auto Express is first behind the wheel of the Edge HySeries, the world’s only plug-in fuel cell hybrid.
Cars such as Chevrolet’s Volt, due in 2010, prove that plug-in hybrids are on the up. Ford has taken it a step further by building a zero-emissions plug-in... and it works! If major firms and suppliers can work together to bring down the cost of fuel cells, the HySeries could point the way for all passenger cars.
The engine in this pre-production model is tipped to power the likes of the Focus in 2015. The advanced hydrogen-electric hybrid has a lithium-ion battery pack and hydrogen fuel cell. However, unlike similar cars, the system tops up the batteries only when their charge falls below 40 per cent. Plugged into the mains, the Edge can be recharged in four hours, after which it has a 225-mile range.
A pair of motors produce the equivalent of 250bhp and 460Nm of torque. And while performance is blunted by the near-two-and-a-half tonne kerbweight, a 0-60mph time of 14 seconds and 87mph top speed are no disgrace for a car of this size.
The interior looks like that of the standard production Edge sold in the US. But when you turn the key… there’s no noise. Pull away and power delivery is smooth and torquey. The car is comfortable in a straight line, yet in corners it reacts slowly.
The fuel cell doesn’t affect cabin noise levels – but it’s a different story from the outside. This car sounds like an oversized hairdryer, and steam pours out of the exhaust, along with water droplets – the only emission. Clever packaging means that, unlike most hydrogen vehicles, the HySeries has a full-size
boot and spacious cabin.
Ford’s next step will be to fit a higher-pressure tank – extending the range by 50 per cent. The technology we need for a zero-emissions future is already here then – it’s now just a case of putting in place a refuelling infrastructure and making it affordable. Unfortunately, that could take some time yet...
Rival: Honda FCX Clarity
The world’s first production fuel cell car doesn’t plug in like the Edge. But as with the Ford, it proves that the technology is developing fast. The Honda is already being leased to US celebs.
