Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 breaks speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats

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At the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the dust is still settling form The Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999, a production-built fuel cell race-car, which set a new land speed record of 207.297 miles per hour this past Wednesday.

The Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 has set a new land speed record for a production-built fuel cell race-car.


By achieving a speed of 207.297 miles per hour on Wednesday at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the Ford fuel cell team also joined the 200 MPH Club of Bonneville Speed Week.


"What we've accomplished is nothing short of an industry first," commented Matt Zuehlk, the project's lead engineer.


"No other automaker in the world has come close."


The team has been working for over a year on the design and development of the car, while its research into hydrogen vehicles has been ongoing for the last ten years.


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Meanwhile, Mr Zuehlk revealed that Ford, buoyed by the success of the Fusion Hydrogen 999, is expected to focus more heavily on fuel cells as an alternative energy source in the future, and considered its most recent project as part of the attempt to make the technology commercially viable.


The Ford "999" is the world’s first and only production vehicle-based fuel cell race car. It was built in collaboration with Ballard Power Systems, Roush and Ohio State University and is one of two vehicles demonstrating the potential of fuel cell technology. Ford researchers also are supporting student engineers from Ohio State University on its Buckeye Bullet 2, a streamliner-type fuel cell-powered racer attempting 300+ mph.


Gerhard Schmidt, vice president, Research & Advanced Engineering for Ford Motor Company said "Ford’s historic run at Bonneville will further expand the company's technological horizons with fuel cell-powered vehicles, because the use of hydrogen as a fuel could someday play a key role in meeting the energy needs of the transportation sector." The Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 is Ford’s latest environmental innovation and is another step on the road toward commercially


viable hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.


The speed was reached during a run at the Bonneville Nationals, which were being held from Aug. 10-17.