There has been a lot of talk lately about how the price of gasoline will affect people’s ability to use their RV’s in the future. Having just paid $45 to fill our family car, a small Suzuki XL7 SUV, it is certainly understandable why people might be cutting back on taking the RV, with its 55-gallon tank and 8MPG fuel use, to distant places. But don’t count the 6.8L Ford V10 out, just yet. Last summer, Ford began delivering hydrogen powered E450-based buses to various customers around the country. This is in addition to five hydrogen E450 buses delivered to Canada in late 2006.
What is interesting for RV’ers about this project is that the buses are not equipped with multi-million dollar hydrogen fuel cells, but a modified version of the tried-and-true 6.8L Triton V10. Though difficult to tell from the various press released surrounding this project, the modifications appear limited to new fuel injectors from
Quantum Technologies, and certainly a new computer program for the electronic control system. Quantum is also providing the 5,000 psi hydrogen fuel tanks – which, unfortunately, only provide about 150 miles of range. Still, the adaptation of alternative fuel technology to common RV platforms gives us hope that our vehicles won’t go the way of the dinosaur, as the price of gasoline continues to rise.
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