Ford is moving ahead with a range of technology solutions simultaneously, including hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines. Ford began working on hydrogen technology in the early 1990s. Ford's first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, released in 2001, was used to develop its first hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine.
We currently have 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 fleet has accumulated more than 965,000 kilometres (600,000 miles) since its inception. With this fleet on the road, significant information that will be integrated into future fuel cell vehicle propulsion systems is being generated in different local environmental conditions. Ford is testing Focus FCV in Vancouver and is the first company to test fuel cell vehicles in Canada.
In addition, we have 24 hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine shuttle buses in cities across the United States and Canada. This fleet of hydrogen internal combustion engine shuttle buses is providing valuable real-world experience to assist in the research and production of next-generation hydrogen internal combustion engines.
The hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine (H2ICE) demonstration fleet has three shuttles in Ottawa. In addition, Ford of Canada is preparing seven more hydrogen shuttle buses for use in other regions of Canada.
A joint effort between Ford of Canada, BP, and the Government of Canada called The Hydrogen Highway hopes to build the world's first highway equipped with hydrogen fueling stations, linking Vancouver to Whistler in time for the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games in 2010.
