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Ford to Deliver Family Fuel Cell Cars to California for On-Road Testing

20 April 1999

Ford to Deliver Family Fuel Cell Cars to California for On-Road Testing

    "At Ford Motor Company, it's not enough to deliver excellent products.
Ford has to deliver excellent products that customers want to use and that
have the least impact on the environment.  We believe fuel cells offer great
promise and Ford intends to lead the way in delivering on that promise for the
next generation family vehicle."

    Bill Ford
    Chairman, Ford Motor Company

    SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 20 -- Ford Motor Company
will help spearhead the first demonstration program in the world to place
hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger cars on the road for long-term testing.
    Other members of the project include Ballard Power Systems and
DaimlerChrysler, Ford's partners in a unique fuel cell alliance, along with
ARCO, Shell, Texaco, the California Air Resources Board and the California
Energy Commission.
    The "California Fuel Cell Partnership - Driving for the Future" was
formally introduced by California Governor Gray Davis during a ceremony at the
state capitol building.  The partnership will test the technology and market
readiness for fuel cell vehicles, along with researching infrastructure
issues.  The program will place about 45 fuel cell powered cars and buses on
California roads between 2000 and 2003.
    Ford will deliver five fuel cell cars to California in 2000 and 2001,
which will be based on the company's P2000 research program.  The first P2000
driveable fuel cell car was debuted in January 1999 at the North American
International Auto Show in Detroit and was driven in Sacramento today.
    The P2000 fuel cell car is a direct hydrogen-fueled, zero-emission
electric vehicle that is based on Ford's advanced lightweight research vehicle
platform.  It is a roomy family sedan that offers the same interior space as
today's Ford Taurus while weighing less than 3200 pounds.  The P2000's fuel
cell system delivers 100 horsepower and goes from 0 to 60 in 12 seconds.
    Ford fuel cell vehicles in the later phase of the California project in
2002 and 2003 are likely to be fueled by on-board reformers.  Today methanol
is the leading fuel candidate for those vehicles, although Ford is involved in
developing both methanol and gasoline fuel cell reformers.
    "Our future depends on our ability to provide environmentally advanced
vehicles at affordable prices without sacrificing utility and other customer
needs," said Ford.  "Ford's goal is to get the technology into customer hands
-- high volume applications that car and truck buyers can afford."
    The California Fuel Cell Partnership will address the largest issues
facing fuel cell vehicle development, including fuel selection and
infrastructure, and cost challenges.  This is the first time that automakers
and fuel suppliers are joining together to demonstrate fuel cell vehicles
under real day-to-day driving conditions.
    Fuel cells are energy conversion devices that generate electricity by
combining hydrogen and oxygen without combustion.  Hydrogen, which can be
stored on-board in gaseous or liquid form, is electrochemically combined with
oxygen from the air to produce electricity.  The only emission from the fuel
cell stack is water vapor.
    Ford's P2000 program also includes vehicles powered by an all-aluminum
lightweight direct-injection engine and hybrid electric systems.  The P2000
program is associated with Ford's participation in the Partnership for a New
Generation of Vehicles.  The Canadian government also supports fuel cell
research.