DETROIT
-- The
Ford Airstream concept offers a view of the direction that
Ford is heading with respect to future crossover vehicles.
It was unveiled LIVE at the 2007 North American International
Auto Show. Larry, a representative for Ford gave me all the
details on this idea for the future.
The
Airstream runs on electric power only. There is no gasoline
in it. It features a fuel cell battery that can offer about
41 mpg. To recharge the battery, all you have to do is plug
it into a standard electrical outlet.
"The
Ford Airstream concept is a futuristic look at crossovers,"
said Peter Horbury, Executive Director of Design for Ford
in The Americas. "It's the ultimate modern touring
vehicle that delivers flexibility and capability with dynamic
design that evokes the spirit of the journey."
The
vehicle was designed to resemble aircrafts, spacecrafts and
Airstream trailers. The design originated in 1931 when Wally
Byam developed trailers for Americans who loved to travel.
This led to the popularity of recreational vehicles (RVs).
The RV industry collected record profits in 2005 and the beginning
of 2006.
The
Airstream was designed to target baby boomers that are about
to go into retirement. Each day, 11,000 people in the U.S.
become older than 50. They are looking for more fuel-efficient
automobiles. As their kids move out, it provides more time
for older parents to travel.
The
front-end grille and headlights are located together. The
windows feature orange trims on the outside. In the back seat,
there is a 360 degree TV screen. In the driver and passenger
seats, there are four-point seat belts. They resemble what
a race car driver might wear. The rear seat belts feature
three-point safety belts that are popular today.
The
Airstream runs entirely on electric power. The hydrogen fuel
cell is used to recharge the battery. It is not used to power
the vehicle. The platform that is used on this vehicle is
called "HySeries" drive. It will be tested on the
Ford Edge crossover vehicle.
When
the battery's charge falls below 40%, the hydrogen fuel cell
begins to recharge. The storage tank has a capacity of 4 1/2
kilograms of Hydrogen. The battery pack is made of lithium-ion,
which is very light. The Airstream can run for 305 miles with
a full tank of hydrogen.
The
overall length of the Ford Airstream is 185 inches. From wheel
to wheel, it measures 125.9 inches. The overall width of the
vehicle is 78.9 inches. The maximum speed of this automobile
is 85 mph.
On
the front instrument panel, there is a screen for passengers
to update their web blogs. Blogging allows people to share
their real-life experiences with the online world. You can
do just that on the all-new Ford Airstream concept.
The
Airstream is a really cool crossover. It looks very modern;
a definite change of direction for Ford. The sad part, it
may never be put into production. It's simply an idea for
the future.
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PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / AMERICAJR.com
A
front view of the all-new Ford Airstream at the 2007 NAIAS.
