Ford Airstream
Encyclopedia
The Ford Airstream is a new concept car
which made its debut at the 2007 North American International Auto Show
in Detroit, Michigan
. The Ford Airstream is a retro-futuristic
crossover SUV
that was inspired by the classic Airstream recreational vehicle
trailers built since the 1930s. The modern Ford Airstream concept includes a plug-in hybrid hydrogen fuel cell drive system, called HySeries Drive, that operates exclusively on electrical power. Ford calls the Ford Airstream Concept "a futuristic look at crossovers" as "modern touring vehicle(s)" for recreational travelers. The concept vehicle was designed in cooperation with Airstream
, a division of Thor Industries
. http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/01/07/033225.html
. The Airstream Concept's wheels are driven by electric motors, which are powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. The Ballard Power Systems
hydrogen fuel cell system recharges the vehicle's battery pack as needed, as a portable generator, and the vehicle can also be plugged in, to recharge between trips. The HySeries Drive delivers the equivalent of a combined city/highway equivalent fuel economy of 41 mpg (U.S.) (5.7 L/100 km). In pure-battery mode, the Ford Airstream Concept is designed to travel about 25 miles (40 km), before the hydrogen-powered fuel cell begins operating to recharge the vehicle's 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack. With a full load of hydrogen, the range increases another 280 miles (451 km), for a total of 305 miles (491 km). The sole exhaust emission from the operating vehicle is water vapor. http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=1530&press_subsection_id=421&make_id=92
The Ford Airstream includes asymmetric doors. The passenger side door is a power clamshell hatch that runs two-thirds the length of the vehicle for loading of passengers and cargo. The crossover includes a rear hatch for loading cargo aft.
according to Ford. It is described as a "lounge atmosphere" meant to provide a relaxing experience while traveling. The instrument panel includes flush-mounted, touch-sensitive controls and a single multi-function gauge display with primary driving information. A center-mounted dual-view screen provides a camera view and secondary driver-oriented information, and also allows the front-seat passenger to view DVD films and work on the internet.
The front seats are captain's chairs that can swivel and rotate to face aft. The rear seats are lounge-like, and includes a 360-degree viewscreen for entertainment, games, internet access, and as a live camera feed. The concept vehicle seats include 4-point safety belts
.
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
which made its debut at the 2007 North American International Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. The Ford Airstream is a retro-futuristic
Retro-futurism
Retro-futurism is a trend in the creative arts showing the influence of depictions of the future produced prior to about 1960...
crossover SUV
Crossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...
that was inspired by the classic Airstream recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
trailers built since the 1930s. The modern Ford Airstream concept includes a plug-in hybrid hydrogen fuel cell drive system, called HySeries Drive, that operates exclusively on electrical power. Ford calls the Ford Airstream Concept "a futuristic look at crossovers" as "modern touring vehicle(s)" for recreational travelers. The concept vehicle was designed in cooperation with Airstream
Airstream
Airstream is a brand of luxury recreational vehicle manufactured in Jackson Center, Ohio, USA. It is currently a division of Thor Industries. The company, which now employs fewer than 400, is the oldest in the industry. Airstream trailers are easily recognized for their distinctive rounded...
, a division of Thor Industries
Thor Industries
Thor Industries, Inc. is a manufacturer of recreational vehicles and mid-sized commercial buses.-History:Thor Industries, Inc., was founded on August 29, 1980, when Wade F. B. Thompson and Peter B. Orthwein acquired Airstream. The name "Thor" combined the first two letters of each entrepreneur's...
. http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/01/07/033225.html
Powerplant
The concept vehicle is powered by a rechargeable plug-in hybrid hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain, called HySeries Drive.This powerplant system was developed with partial funding from the United States Department of Energy, and is currently being tested on a prototype version of the Ford EdgeFord Edge
The Ford Edge is a mid-size crossover SUV manufactured by Ford, based on the Ford CD3 platform shared with previous generation Mazda6 and marketed in rebadged form as the Lincoln MKX...
. The Airstream Concept's wheels are driven by electric motors, which are powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. The Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems , located in Burnaby, British Columbia -- a suburb of Vancouver -- is a company that designs, develops, and manufactures zero emission proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells. This company has made a bus that uses only hydrogen fuel cells. These fuel cells combine hydrogen and...
hydrogen fuel cell system recharges the vehicle's battery pack as needed, as a portable generator, and the vehicle can also be plugged in, to recharge between trips. The HySeries Drive delivers the equivalent of a combined city/highway equivalent fuel economy of 41 mpg (U.S.) (5.7 L/100 km). In pure-battery mode, the Ford Airstream Concept is designed to travel about 25 miles (40 km), before the hydrogen-powered fuel cell begins operating to recharge the vehicle's 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack. With a full load of hydrogen, the range increases another 280 miles (451 km), for a total of 305 miles (491 km). The sole exhaust emission from the operating vehicle is water vapor. http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=1530&press_subsection_id=421&make_id=92
Exterior
Interior
The interior was inspired by spacecraft images and environments portrayed in 2001: A Space Odyssey2001: A Space Odyssey (film)
2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, partially inspired by Clarke's short story The Sentinel...
according to Ford. It is described as a "lounge atmosphere" meant to provide a relaxing experience while traveling. The instrument panel includes flush-mounted, touch-sensitive controls and a single multi-function gauge display with primary driving information. A center-mounted dual-view screen provides a camera view and secondary driver-oriented information, and also allows the front-seat passenger to view DVD films and work on the internet.
The front seats are captain's chairs that can swivel and rotate to face aft. The rear seats are lounge-like, and includes a 360-degree viewscreen for entertainment, games, internet access, and as a live camera feed. The concept vehicle seats include 4-point safety belts
Seat belt
A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
.
Specifications
- Powertrain: Ford / Ballard HySeries Drive plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel cell
- Chassis dimensions
- Overall length: 185 in (4,699 mm).
- Wheelbase: 125.9 in (3,198 mm).
- Overall width: 78.9 in (2,004 mm).
- Overall height at curb: 70.6 in (1,793 mm).
- Front track width: 67.6 in (1,717 mm).
- Rear track width: 69.2 in (1,758 mm).
- Suspension
- Front: Double wishboneDouble wishbone suspensionIn automobiles, a double wishbone suspension is an independent suspension design using two wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. Each wishbone or arm has two mounting points to the chassis and one joint at the knuckle. The shock absorber and coil spring mount to the wishbones to control...
independent suspensionIndependent suspensionIndependent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects... - Rear: Multi-link independentMulti-link suspensionA multi-link suspension is a type of vehicle suspension design typically used in independent suspensions, using three or more lateral arms, and one or more longitudinal arms....
- Front: Double wishbone
- Interior
- Front headroom: 37.5 in (953 mm).
- Rear headroom: 36.2 in (919 mm).
- Front legroom: 39.6 in (1,006 mm).
- Rear headroom: 33.1 in (841 mm).