CAR SHOW: The automaker calls it the world's first such vehicle.

WASHINGTON - Ford Motor Co. is joining the list of automakers working on a plug-in hybrid -- with a twist. It combines the convenience of plugging in your car with a zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell.

Ford will display today what it calls the world's first drivable fuel-cell hybrid electric vehicle with plug-in capability. Called the Flexible Series Hybrid Edge, it represents the latest offering from automakers hoping to stake a claim to the next generation of highly efficient, alternative automobiles.

Gerhard Schmidt, Ford's vice president of research and advanced engineering, said the vehicle, based on the Ford Edge crossover, gives the company "the ultimate in flexibility in researching advanced propulsion technology."

"We could take the fuel cell power system out and replace it with a downsized diesel, gasoline engine or any other powertrain connected to a small electric generator to make electricity like the fuel cell does now," Schmidt said.

Ford was showing the plug-in fuel cell at the Washington Auto Show, where lawmakers and government officials were viewing a number of advanced vehicle technologies.

Several automakers have been working on similar technologies. General Motors Corp. will display the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in electric car recently shown in Detroit with a range of 40 miles on the battery and more than 600 miles with a gas engine.

DaimlerChrysler AG has been pursuing plug-in hybrids and said Friday it would expand its test fleet in the U.S. to more than 20 Dodge Sprinter vans.

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Thats a start! If only GM gets into the act on building these cars we can defeat japan auto companies.This ford car gets 70 MPG which means you can drive about 700 miles on one tankful.

Watch "Who killed the electric car."

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"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

Beats me donkey

It is foolish to think the electric car was anywhere near ready to be released to the masses at that point. In fact it still isn't. A pure battery operated vehicle does not have the capabilities that consumers need from them. You can't force a new technology on people when they are not ready for it. The electric car has already failed to grab the peoples' interest twice. There will be a day when it becomes viable, but until then quickly re-fuelable alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen internal combustion matched to hybrid drivetrains are much better options.

But Now theyre pratical. Cause you have both electric and hybid engine combined. You use the electric mode for just driving to store or going to doctor or dropping kids off the school. Then you switch to hybrid mode going to work or long distance.

Sounds cool.

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"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

now if only they can invent places to plug your car in. ive got no garage. just a parking lot and its far from the condo.

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But plugging it in doesn't really eliminate emissions- it just moves them somewhere else. Here, our electricity is coal, so if I plug in my car I'm just running it on coal instead of gas. I'm not sure that's better.

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please click and help the eggs hatch!

"The only abnormality is the incapacity to love"
-Anias Nin

Actually wet cell batteries don’t need to be re-charged. When you buy a new battery it comes empty and dead with a container of Sulfuric acid (Usually installed at the store.) rendering it fully charged.
Here’s the kicker, in quantity it’s penny’s a gallon.

In business terms, “collecting the spent electrolyte to be recycled and replacing it with new at a service station, wouldn’t leave much said for profit but would make the dream come true…

Personally, I don’t believe this the goal of either side. Environmentalist target our infrastructure and business targets profit.
We're doomed

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Only a liberal would know how hard it is to get a nicotine patch to stick to a monkey.

Then youll need a midget to shove coal in your engine.

Are you serious?

She means that in a plug in car, the electricity would be coming from a power plant, powered boy coal.

Where did you THINK electricity came from?

__________________
"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

It comes from garbage waste now.

Oh you can't be serious.

__________________
"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

Fuel cells cost millions of dollars and use $300.oo worth of platinum every 17kw…

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Only a liberal would know how hard it is to get a nicotine patch to stick to a monkey.