EU Approves $1.5 Billion Aid for the Development of Hydrogen Cars

The European Union has approved research initiatives worth €940 million or about $1.5 billion to promote the development of hydrogen-powered cars, in an attempt to reduce air pollution and heavy reliance on imported oil. The aid is part of a €9.3 billion ($15 billion) research initiative for electronics, computers, medicines and airplanes.

The hydrogen car program is 50 percent financed by companies that include Royal Dutch Shell and BMW and 50 percent financed by the European Union over a period of six years. The unprecedented EU public-private partnerships in research and development, aim to help the bloc raise R&D spending to 3 percent of gross domestic product from 1.8 percent and to bridge the gap between Europe and the United States and Japan.

Mazda To Provide Hydrogen-Powered RX8s To Norway

Mazda has announced that it has come to an agreement with HyNor (Hydrogen Road of Norway), a joint industry initiative to demonstrate real life implementation of a hydrogen energy infrastructure along a route of 580 km – 350 miles from Oslo to Stavanger in Norway, for the purchase of 30 Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles commencing summer 2008. For Mazda, these will be the first hydrogen vehicles sold outside of Japan. -Details after the jump

PRESS RELEASE

Hiroshima, Japan, 7th November 2007. Mazda Motor Corporation and HyNor (Hydrogen Road of Norway) will collaborate in the development of hydrogen fuel and hydrogen vehicles. This was formally agreed at a signing ceremony held at the Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo today. His Excellency Mr. Åge B. Grutle, Norwegian ambassador to Japan, and Mr. Hisakazu Imaki, Mazda’s President and CEO, attended the event, at which Mr. Ulf Hafseld, chairman of HyNor, and Mr. Seita Kanai, a director and senior managing executive officer in charge of Research and Development of Mazda, signed a memorandum of understanding for collaboration and support in the development of a Hydrogen Economy. The memorandum states that HyNor intends to purchase 30 Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles commencing summer 2008. For Mazda, these will be the first hydrogen vehicles sold outside of Japan.

"I very much welcome the agreement between Mazda Motor Corporation and HyNor. The agreement illustrates that HyNor's efforts to contribute to the development of Hydrogen-based technologies are recognized by Mazda as a major global actor in this field”, said H.E. Mr. Åge Grutle, Norwegian ambassador to Japan. “The partnership between HyNor and Mazda is also very encouraging for Norway's broader efforts to strengthen its cooperation with Japan in promoting research and technologies within the context of climate change mitigation, including a Hydrogen Society. For the Norwegian embassy it is a top priority to support these efforts, working in close collaboration with Innovation Norway and the Research Council of Norway."

“HyNor is very pleased to sign this agreement with Mazda and we think this cooperation will speed up the process of introducing hydrogen as a zero-emission fuel”, said Ulf Hafseld, Chairman of HyNor. “By using the Internal Combustion Engine as a feasible technology to accelerate realization of the real hydrogen world, we can develop a hydrogen infrastructure much faster. HyNor is focusing on a carbon neutral infrastructure, and using hydrogen in the Mazda cars will ensure a complete carbon free line of fuel.”

“This will be the first time a Hydrogen RE vehicle will be sold outside Japan and will be a big step in Mazda’s Hydrogen vehicle development history”, said Mr. Seita Kanai, Mazda’s director and senior managing executive officer. “Perhaps Norway is one of the countries closest to the realization of a Hydrogen energy society. By cooperating with HyNor and jointly supporting the development of a hydrogen economy, we hope that Mazda will be able to contribute to the establishment of a Hydrogen society. "

HyNor is a unique Norwegian joint industry initiative to demonstrate real life implementation of a hydrogen energy infrastructure along a route of 580 kilometers from Oslo to Stavanger in Norway. The project comprises all steps required to develop a Hydrogen society with adaptation to local conditions. The joint project is planning for various means of transport: buses, taxis and private cars and varying types of transport systems: urban, inter-city, regional and even long-distance national transport. In August 2006, Mazda attended a ceremony which commemorated the opening of Norway’s first hydrogen filling station created by HyNor. This is also where the first on-road demonstration of a RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicle outside of Japan was held.

Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 Will Attempt To Break World Land Speed Record

This August FoMoCo will take its Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 fuel cell car to the Bonneville Salt Flats in an attempt to set the world land speed record for a production-based hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle. The Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 was designed by Ford engineers and built by Roush while Ohio State students provided the design of the 770 Hp strong electric motor with Ballard supplying the hydrogen fuel cells. Ford retiree Rick Byrnes, a veteran Bonneville racer, will pilot the Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 car on its record attempt.

The Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 is one of two vehicles Ford's fuel cell research team is helping prepare to set world land speed records as the researchers also are working with Ohio State University student engineers on the Buckeye Bullet 2, a fuel cell-powered racer that will compete for a similar world record in the unlimited class category. The land speed record attempt will take place during Bonneville Speed Week from Aug. 10-17. -Full press release after the jump

FORD FUSION HYDROGEN 999 RACER TO ATTEMPT SPEED RECORD FOR FUEL CELL-POWERED VEHICLE

• Ford to attempt land speed record for production-based fuel cell powered vehicle at Bonneville with the Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999.
• Ford, Ohio State University, Ballard and Roush are collaborating to build and engineer the hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrains.
• Ohio State University will attempt to set the land speed record for unlimited class fuel cell powered vehicle with the Buckeye Bullet 2.

DEARBORN, Mich., July 10 – Ford Motor Company will take its 10 years of hydrogen research expertise to the Bonneville Salt Flats in August in an attempt to set the world land speed record in a hydrogen fuel cell powered Ford Fusion.

The Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 fuel cell car – a collaboratively engineered racer with Ballard, Roush and Ohio State University – is one of two vehicles Ford’s fuel cell research team is helping prepare to set world land speed records. Ford researchers also are working with Ohio State University student engineers on its Buckeye Bullet 2, a fuel cell-powered racer that will compete for a similar world record in the unlimited class category.

“Racing is part of Ford Motor Company’s DNA so it seemed only natural for us to build a fuel cell race car that runs on hydrogen, a fuel that could someday play a key role in meeting the energy needs of the transportation sector,” said Gerhard Schmidt, vice president, Research & Advanced Engineering for Ford Motor Company. “Our goal in attempting this record is to further expand our technological horizons with fuel cell powered vehicles. The collaboration with Ohio State University also affords us an opportunity to work closely with a prestigious university, which provides out-of-the-box thinking from student engineers and helps us recruit talented young people to work at Ford Motor Company.”

The land speed record attempt will take place during Bonneville Speed Week from Aug. 10-17. The attempt will be sanctioned by the Southern California Timing Association®.

The Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 land speed record vehicle was designed by Ford engineers and fabricated and built by Roush in Allen Park, Michigan. Ohio State students are providing the design of the 770 hp electric motor, while Ballard is supplying the hydrogen fuel cells. Ford retiree Rick Byrnes, a veteran Bonneville racer, will pilot the Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 car on its record attempt.

Ohio State students have designed their unlimited class vehicle, dubbed Buckeye Bullet 2, from the ground up. Ballard donated the hydrogen fuel cells for Ohio State’s car, Roush its engineering services and Ford has provided overall project coordination and expertise in fuel cell drivetrains.

In 2004, Ohio State students set the unlimited land speed record for an electric vehicle by running 315 mph in the first Buckeye Bullet, dubbed BB1.

Hydrogen Part of a Broader Effort

Ford’s strategy for alternative fuels is built around multiple technologies, including hydrogen fuel cells. This flexible approach allows the company to meet goals for customer needs, environmental impact and shareholder interests. The strategy does not focus on one catch-all solution but includes a flexible array of options, including hybrids, E85 ethanol, clean diesels, bio-diesels, advanced engine and transmission technologies and hydrogen fuel cells.

The company already has a fleet of 30 hydrogen powered Focus fuel cell vehicles on the road as part of a worldwide, seven-city program to conduct real world testing of fuel cell technology. The 30-car fleet has accumulated more than 540,000 miles since its inception in 2005.

Ford also is conducting tests with the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive. The Ford Edge with HySeries Drive uses a series electric drivetrain with an onboard hydrogen fuel cell generator to give the vehicle a range of 225 miles with zero emissions.

Currently, Ford offers gasoline-electric hybrids including the Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid. The company will also offer hybrid versions of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan in 2008.