The editors at Edmunds were recently given a chance to drive the $2 million USD Ford Edge HySeries concept vehicle. The 5,400 pound CUV is powered solely by electricity, so power delivery is turbine smooth and quiet. Edmunds likened its forward progress to that of a 'horizontal elevator.' And by using a hydrogen fuel cell, the Edge HySeries has no harmful emissions and only releases water vapor into the environment. The prototype HySeries drivetrain consists of a large box of lithium-ion batteries, two electric motors (one front and one rear), a kielbasa-shaped tank of compressed hydrogen and a mountain of electronic stuff, and it all combines to make the Edge HySeries prototype feel like a big golf cart.

The powertrain delivers an EPA combined fuel economy rating of 41 mpg, with no tailpipe emissions. But drivers with short commutes (less than 50 miles per day) could see the equivalent of 80 mpg because they'd use mostly battery power and very little hydrogen. Likewise, range is variable. The batteries alone give you only 25 miles of range, which sounds laughably short. Assuming you've got some hydrogen in the tank, though, the range could be as much as 225 miles. But that theoretical driver with a short commute could extend the miles between fill-ups to more than 400.

The Edge HySeries was running on half of its potential electrical power when we drove it because it hadn't been adequately tested at the higher level. So it felt slow and heavy, because it is slow and heavy compared to a gas-powered Edge. Other than that, it felt pretty much normal aside from a disquieting lack of an exhaust note and a slight hum from the fuel cell's compressor. The conventional braking system has no regenerative capability (the ability to capture kinetic energy to help recharge the batteries) as many hybrids do. But neither does it have the herky-jerky braking performance of the regenerative braking systems we've sampled. The HySeries drivetrain does generate a small amount of battery regenerative power while coasting, however.