Westport and
Ford Announce Hydrogen Engine Technology Development
Feb 1, 2006 - Business Wire
Westport Innovations Inc. - Investor Inquiries Heather Merry Investor
Relations & Communications (604) 718-2046
invest@westport.com OR Westport
Innovations Inc. - Media Inquiries Alexis Zehr Media Relations (604)
718-2045 media@westport.com
www.westport.com
Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX:WPT) and Ford Motor Company today
announced a project to develop and demonstrate an advanced direct
injection fuel system for vehicles powered by high-efficiency, high
performance engines operating on pure hydrogen.
Dr. Michael Gallagher, Westport's President and Chief Operating
Officer, said that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) would also be
teaming with Westport and Ford on the further development of Westport's
hydrogen direct injection (H2DI) technology.
The two-year development program will be divided into two phases.
Phase one will define advanced fuel system requirements including the
design of fuel injectors. Phase two will incorporate the design and
manufacture of new prototype fuel systems. The Government of Canada has
contributed $250,000 during phase one.
Both the Government of Canada and the U.S. DOE have recognized that
hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engines can help enable the
deployment of functional hydrogen powered vehicles, especially work
vehicles, which consume large quantities of fuel. This will allow users
and technology providers to gain experience with hydrogen infrastructure
while operating large numbers of low-cost early production vehicles.
Dr. Gallagher added that Westport's H2DI technology has been in
testing at Ford, and has shown the potential to provide high power and
engine torque with diesel-like efficiency and very low emissions. "Early
data indicates the strong potential for a truly green vehicle combining
great efficiency characteristics with extremely low air pollutants and
zero greenhouse gas emissions at the tailpipe. This technology has the
potential to be commercially available a lot sooner and more
cost-effectively than other hydrogen automotive technologies."
The new collaboration builds on several years of work between Ford
Research and Westport starting in 1999 with natural gas engines. Ford
began investigating the benefits of hydrogen direct injection for
reciprocating engines with Westport in 2003.
The development work for the next generation hydrogen engine program
will take place in Westport's technology centre in Vancouver, Ford's
test facilities in Dearborn, Michigan and the Department of Energy's
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington.
PNNL will participate in the development program under funding already
allocated by DOE's FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program. PNNL
research will focus on modeling the effects of hydrogen on component
performance with the goal of extending the life of injection components
so that no maintenance is required in the normal life of the engine.
The development of a practical fuel injection system for hydrogen is
a key objective to Ford's strategy in making low cost hydrogen internal
combustion engine technology commercially available to the market within
the next few years.
About Westport Innovations Inc.
Westport Innovations Inc. is the leading developer of environmental
technologies that allow engines to operate on clean- burning fuels such
as natural gas, hydrogen, and hydrogen-enriched natural gas (HCNG).
Westport has technology development alliances in place with Cummins,
Ford, MAN, BMW, and Isuzu, as well as an ownership interest in Clean
Energy, the largest provider of natural gas for vehicles in North
America. Cummins Westport Inc., Westport's joint venture with Cummins
Inc., manufactures and sells the world's widest range of low-emissions
alternative fuel engines for commercial transportation applications such
as trucks and buses.
Note: This document contains forward-looking statements about
Westport's business, operations, technology development or the
environment in which it operates, which are based on Westport's
estimates, forecasts, and projections. These statements are not
guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties
that are difficult to predict, or are beyond Westport's control.
Consequently, readers should not place any undue reliance on such
forward-looking statements. In addition, these forward-looking
statements relate to the date on which they are made. Westport disclaims
any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
Westport Innovations Inc. (TSX:WPT)
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