DEARBORN HEIGHTS – Ford on Monday kicked off production of dedicated hydrogen fueled V-10 engines that will be used to power Ford’s E-450 hydrogen fueled shuttle buses.
The buses are scheduled to be delivered to fleet customers later this year, first in Florida and then in other locations across North America. Hydrogen internal combustion engine technology represents an important step toward enabling hydrogen to become a viable motor fuel.
“This engine represents a significant milestone in Ford’s research
efforts in hydrogen technology,” said Gerhard Schmidt, Ford vice president,
Research & Advanced Engineering. “We have learned a
great deal about hydrogen powered internal combustion engines during the
development phase of this engine.”
While the hydrogen internal combustion engine shuttle buses will
provide valuable real-world experience, Ford is also conducting research
into next generation hydrogen internal combustion engines, including
features such as direct injection to enhance power and fuel economy.
“We have only scratched the surface in terms of what can be achieved with
hydrogen internal combustion engine technology and are serious about
maintaining our edge in this field,” said Vance Zanardelli, Ford chief engineer,
Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines.
