Vehicles once thought to be a vision into the future are now closer to reality. Ford recently unveiled an advanced new hydrogen-powered Ford H2ICE E-450 shuttle bus that demonstrates the commercial viability of hydrogen-powered vehicles. A Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2ICE) is a traditional internal combustion engine that is modified to run on hydrogen, rather than gasoline. Compared with today's gasoline engines, H2ICE delivers up to a 99.7 percent reduction in CO2 and includes many of the benefits of a hydrogen fuel cell, but at a fraction of the cost. The Ford H2ICE E-450 is a Ford E-450 chassis cab, with a shuttle bus body and a 6.8-liter Triton V-10 engine fueled with hydrogen. Ford will put two of the H2ICE E-450s into service as shuttle buses at the 2005 North American International Auto Show to demonstrate their capability. "The hydrogen-fueled shuttle bus is a product we could market to customers who need to move people in an efficient, environmentally friendly way," said Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, Ford Motor Company vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering. "We think this is an interesting solution for airport transportation, for example." The H2ICE E-450 seats up to 12 passengers and their luggage, including the driver. The vehicle is equipped with a 26-gallon equivalent, 5,000 pound per square inch hydrogen fuel tank. The engine is a modified 6.8-liter Triton V-10. The range is expected to be up to 150-miles depending on conditions and vehicle load.
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