Hours ahead of the nation’s 2007 State of the Union Address, Ford is debuting its Flexible Series Edge SUV in Washington D. C. The Ford Flexible Series Edge uses the same HySeries Drive system as the Ford Airstream Concept that the automaker unveiled a few weeks ago at the International North American Auto Show in Detroit.
Like the Ford Airstream, the Ford Flexible Series Edge combines hydrogen fuel cell technology with plug-in hybrid electric vehicle technology so that consumers, one day, will have the best of both worlds. Kudos to Ford for its advanced thinking and technology with the HySeries Drive system that will one day mean lower prices at the pump, less dependence upon foreign fossil fuels and a cleaner environment.
Unlike the Airstream Concept, the Ford Flexible Series Edge is based upon a vehicle already in production, the standard Edge SUV and will likely appeal to a broader consumer base. There is no indication from Ford if or when this vehicle will be rolled out, however, though it must be acknowledged that Ford is heading in the right direction with this one.
Giving the consumers the ability and flexibility to plug-in will lower the monthly costs consumers pay to fuel up their vehicles. By connecting to the grid, consumers will use this nations’ fossil fuels rather than foreign fossil fuels. While some will say this is not an ideal situation, it is still a step in the right direction until more renewable energy can be added to the grid. And, lastly, using hydrogen as a primary fuel will reduce overall emissions and greenhouse gases.
The one caveat is that additional research and development is needed on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for the automotive industry in order to bring the costs down. So, put on your activist’s hat and call or write your local congressmen and congresswomen and tell them that we need to appropriate funds for this new technology. Greener cars are within our grasps and we can have it sooner rather than later if we all send out an email or two.