RPO83

Ford Motor Company's Sustainable Mobility Technologies, a division of Ford's Research and Advanced Engineering organization, is the activity within Ford Motor Company which has a global responsibility for Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell electric vehicle systems engineering, as well as program management, vehicle assembly and customer service of electric drive advanced production programs. The organization used to be known as TH!NK Technologies, and assumed its new name at the end of 2002.
"Our charter is to conduct research and advanced engineering in support of hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles," explains Mike Schwarz, director of Sustainable Mobility Technologies.

By 2004, Schwarz's team plans to have several dozen first-generation product Ford Focus vehicles powered by fuel cells on the road for testing and evaluation. Those vehicles will be 4-door models powered by a Ballard Mark 902 fuel cell stack and fueled by compressed gaseous hydrogen. The vehicles are expected to reach speeds in excess of 80 mph. This program builds on the experience gained in Ford's P2000 and Focus fuel cell research prototype projects.

The Sustainable Mobility Technologies organization is working with governmental agencies such as the California Fuel Cell Partnership and FreedomCAR to develop and promote fuel cell and enabling technologies as well as hydrogen infrastructure, and explore the path to commercialization.

"One hundred years ago, Henry Ford started to put the world on wheels using technical innovation and practical manufacturing methods. We will continue and strengthen this legacy," Schwarz says.

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*Retired.