The new millennium brought in 13 interesting hydrogen cars, including
three models by DaimlerChrysler. Ford and Millennium Fuel Cell also
made a good showing in 2000 along with General Motors and Volkswagen
who both showed off a couple of innovative hydrogen vehicles.
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The 2000 Hypercar Revolution
midsize SUV was manufactured by the Rocky Mountain Institute
after 10 years of research and development. The Hypercar Revolution
is a hybrid electric hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with a carbon
fiber, thermo-plastic body providing a range of 330 miles. |
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The 2000 Volkswagen Bora HyMotion
(Jetta) is a fuel cell vehicle running off liquid hydrogen.
The VW Bora HyMotion uses a 75 kw asynchronous electric motor
to reach a top speed of 90 mph while providing a range of 220
miles. |
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The 2000 Ford Th!nk
FC5 FCV is an FCV developed by Th!nk, which is based on
a Ford Focus and powered by a Ballard 900 series 85 kw fuel
cell with a top speed of 80 mph. The Ford Think FC5 FCV was
introduced by the manufacturer at the SEMA show in Las Vegas
and used liquid methanol plus an onboard reformer to extract
the hydrogen to power the vehicle. |
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The 2000 DaimlerChrysler Necar 5
is also based on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and was unveiled
in November of that year. Unlike the Necar 4, the DaimlerChrysler
Necar 5 uses hydrogenous methanol with an onboard reformer that
extracts the hydrogen to run through the Ballard fuel cell to
power the vehicle and achieve speeds of up to 90 mph. |
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The 2000 DaimlerChrysler Jeep Commander
2 is a luxury hybrid SUV powered by fuel cell and two electric
motors. The 4WD Jeep Commander 2 uses a tank filled with methanol
and an onboard reformer to extract the hydrogen to power the
vehicle. The Jeep Commander 2 also uses thermoplastic molding
technology. |
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The 2000 Honda FCX-V3 is a hybrid
fuel cell vehicle that was introduced in September that year
in Tokyo. The Honda FCX-V3 is powered by a 62 kw fuel cell stack
(either Ballard or Honda), electric motor and newly designed
ultracapacitors. |
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The 2000 Millenium Cell Ford Crown
Victoria H2 uses the companies patented hydrogen-on-demand system
to create hydrogen as needed to propel the vehicle. Instead
of gaseous or liquid hydrogen, the Millenium Cell Ford Crown
Victoria H2 uses the hydrogen-rich chemical compound sodium
borohydride to store the H2 until needed and then it is run
through the car's internal combustion engine. |
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The 2000 Millenium Cell Ford Explorer
SUV is a modified sport utility vehicle using as sodium borohydride
hydrogen-on-demand system to propel the vehicle. The Millenium
Cell Ford Explorer SUV uses a reservoir of sodium borohydride
solution, a receiving tank and a reaction chamber to create
hydrogen to power the vehicle. In 2002, Millenium Cell won an
award from Popular Science for this technology. |
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The 2000 Peugeot Citroen PSA Hydro-Gen
was a joint venture between the automaker and several partners.
The Peugeot Citroen PSA Hydro-Gen was a hybrid electric hydrogen
fuel cell vehicle using a Nuvera 30 kw fuel cell stack with
a range of approximately 180 miles. |
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The 2000 Volkswagen Capri is a Golf
variant that was the result of 5 years of research beginning
in 1996. The Volkswagen Capri used a Ballard PEM fuel cell and
was fueled with methanol that ran through a reformer to produce
hydrogen for the fuel cell. |
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The 2000 GM Opel Zafira HydroGen
1 minivan was powered by an 80 kw PEM fuel cell with a range
of 250 miles. The GM Opel Zafira HydroGen 1 hybrid has a top
speed of 90 mph and is powered by liquid hydrogen. |
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The 2000 GM Precept FCEV was unveiled
in January that year at the Detroit Auto Show. The GM Precept
FCEV hybrid used a 100 kw fuel cell and was able to achieve
108 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) partly do to its lightweight
aluminum body. |
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