Ford Motor Co. is combining the latest hybrid electric vehicle technology with an advanced new fuel cell to create an all-new, zero-emissions Ford Focus that will debut at this year's New York International Auto Show. The new Ford Focus Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) is the company's most advanced environmental vehi-cle ever. It also is one of the industry's first "hybridized fuel cell vehicles," which combines the improved range and performance of hybrid technology with the overall benefits of a fuel cell. "This is the prototype of the groundbreaking fuel cell vehicle that we will begin building in 2004," says John Wallace, executive director of Ford's environmental TH!NK group. Today, the new Focus FCV is part of an experimental fleet, which will help prove out the technology as part of the California Fuel Cell Partnership. In all, five Focus FCV's will be produced this year for testing and demonstration -- leading up to low-volume customer production by 2004. The new Focus FCV has been "hybridized" with the addition of a 300-volt Sanyo battery pack and a brake-by-wire electrohydraulic series regenerative braking system. Both of these advanced technologies also are found on the Hybrid Escape, due out in 2003. In addition, the Focus FCV has a more advanced hydrogen stor-age tank, which can handle 5,000 pounds per square inch (psi) of hydrogen - versus 3,600 psi in the pre-vious version. Together, the new battery pack, regenerative braking and storage tank help increase the driving range of the four-passenger Focus FCV to between 160 and 200 miles -- significantly improved from the previous version. The hybrid electric power system also gives the vehicle a top speed governed at 80 miles per hour. The new Focus FCV is Ford's third-generation drivable fuel cell vehicle. The first, the P2000 FCV, was introduced in 1998. The original experimental Focus FCV debuted in 2000.