Last week, the energy technology firm Hy-Drive started using technology from PeopleNet. PeopleNet supplies Internet-based, satellite tracking and mobile communication devices to fleets, and some of these technologies will now be embedded in Hy-Drive system, for better monitoring. Through this partnership, Hy-Drive says it will continue to "demonstrate, verify, and maintain the fuel efficiency and emission reduction benefits that Hy-Drive guarantees to its clients" (think trucking fleets). One customer, a Steve Teeple, president of PolyWog transport in Florida said Hy-Drive helped his fleet get an extra 1.2 miles per gallon. Hy-Drive president Tom Brown said that, "We will now be able to monitor and maintain the fuel efficiencies obtained by our Clean Burn Technology, thus fully supporting the performance guarantees we provide our clients."

Hy-Drive developed a proprietary hydrogen generating system for internal combustion engines that enhances combustion by allowing fuel to burn more completely.

[Source: Hy-Drive Technologies Ltd.]

Click on the image for a gallery of high-res photos of the HySeries Drive Edge

At the Washington D.C. Auto Show, Ford unveiled a Ford Edge equipped with the HySeries Drive power-train first shown in the Airstream concept a couple of weeks ago in Detroit. HySeries Drive is a plug-in series hybrid system, that uses a 336V lithium ion battery pack to drive the electric motor. This makes it the world's first drivable hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with plug-in capability. The full range of the Edge on battery and hydrogen is 225 miles with the first 25 available on battery alone, although some drivers have seen as much as 400 miles depending the conditions. They estimate the gasoline equivalent mileage of the HySeries Edge at 41 mpg city/highway combined if you drive the full range. Like the Volt or other plug-in hybrids the effective mileage goes up as the distance you drive goes down.

The vehicle features the latest generation Ballard Power Systems fuel cell stack. Unlike the fuel cells used in the Focus FCV, this one is capable of operating at cold temperatures down to -20C. The HySeries Drive Edge is being used to prove out the new drive-train concept. Similar to what GM has done with E-Flex, the Edge system is designed to allow flexibility in replacing the power systems. They could easily swap out the fuel cell stack for gas or diesel engines or even more batteries. Ford has spent the weekend the shuttling Capital Hill staffers around in the new Edge and in the very near future AutoblogGreen will be bringing you a full driving impression of the HySeries Drive Edge. In the meantime the Ford press release is after the jump, and gallery of high res images can be found by clicking on the image above.



[Source: Ford]

We never get far into a "cars can run on water" story before people fire up their negative comments and criticize the idea as absurd. Well, sure, it sounds odd and too good to be true, but what if I told you that a management consultant – a person who gets paid to give good ideas – thought it was a good enough idea to invest big in a company built on the idea and the technology to do it? Tom Brown is that person. He used to just be an investor in Hy-Drive Technologies Ltd., but he was so impressed with the company and the technology that he is now the president and CEO (I wonder what his hair is like?).

The Canadian company has "quietly developed its revolutionary technology into a product slowly being adopted around the world," according to this story in the Toronto Star. Hy-Drive has distribution contracts with organizations around the world to sell compact units – which create hydrogen gas from water and inject it into the engine to increase fuel efficiency by between nine and 40 percent. The units also make the hydrocarbon emissions drop 74 percent and particulate matter emissions drop 80 percent. The units are used in long-haul truck today, but Martinrea International Inc. may get them into cars soon.

Unfortunately, the original Toronto Star story lacks photos, so we can't see Brown or any of his technology. Or his hair. For that, we'll have to try the official company site.

[Source: San Grewal / Toronto Star]