My drive in the Focus FCV was nearly thwarted. When I met with product analyst Ron Gilland, one of the key people on the project, he informed me that they were awaiting fuel delivery. The Focus FCV is fueled with gaseous hydrogen and, since there aren’t hydrogen fueling stations on every corner yet, actually obtaining the fuel is the most difficult part of the process currently. (The refueling process itself takes about 14 seconds.)

While we waited, I talked with Ron about some of the details. With a nearly identical steel body as the current Focus sedan, the Focus FCV is about 1,000 pounds heavier due to the extra weight of the fuel cell components. While still accommodating four adults like today’s Focus, the Focus FCV’s two front seats have been raised to house the fuel cell stack module. Trunk space is also reduced by about two-thirds to make room for the carbon-fiber-wrapped aluminum hydrogen storage tanks. For the most part, these changes are unnoticeable and Ford does not see them as major detractors for early production vehicles. (Initially, the Focus FCV will be produced for fleet use, driven by people for work purposes, so they won’t need the additional trunk space, but still need the flexibility to carry four people.)

With the arrival of the missing hydrogen, I was ready to begin my driving experience. Out of sheer reflex, I reach to turn the key. Nothing happens.

Ron directs me to listen for the click of the air compressor turning on. It is odd that there is no starter noise. No sound of the engine turning over. I watch the gauge on the dash as its needle slowly rises, indicating we now have enough pressure to drive. A short time, perhaps ten seconds, has passed before I can put the car in gear. I gently depress the accelerator pedal and we begin to move forward. The quietness of the engine, combined with a low hum, is disconcerting. Where are the “normal” engine sounds? The sounds of rods and pistons doing their jumping jacks; the throaty exhaust note I love?

The process of driving itself distracts me. There is unusual feedback in the brake pedal that I’m not used to. It feels as if I’m driving a vehicle with an early anti-lock brake system that is kicking in. I question Ron, fearing his four-million-dollar baby will break while I’m at the wheel. He assures me everything is normal. Before I merge into traffic, I wait for a sizeable gap, not sure how the car will perform with the added weight from the fuel cells and associated components. The engine offers about 10 horsepower less than the base four-cylinder engine in today’s Focus, so with the extra weight, I expect to see a big decrease in power, but I don’t.

We are accelerating nicely up to about 40 mph and I am impressed with the amount of torque for such a tiny engine in a relatively heavy car. I feel uneasy, wonder why and then realize I am waiting for the engine to shift. I question Ron again and he explains that the single speed transaxle has a gear ratio of 10:1—engineer-speak that means the car doesn’t shift. One gear does all the work regardless of speed and even in reverse.

By the second turn of our city-block loop, I’m getting used to the Focus FCV’s quirks and the lack of engine noises and feedback in the brake pedal don’t feel so odd. At our last turn, I hurriedly ask Ron if we can take one more spin. He nods and I continue past the parking lot entrance for another loop around the block. This time I drive a bit more aggressively and feel comfortable about pulling out into normally spaced traffic. Halfway around the block, I decide to see what happens when I step on the accelerator harder—as if I’m entering a highway. The Focus FCV responds well, although I keep listening for the sound of shifting gears and, when they don’t, I find it a bit odd.

I round the next corner, thinking that the future looks promising. This is a practical car of decent size and despite its idiosyncrasies; I could drive this, as is, as a commuter car and be satisfied. With the improvements planned for the production version—less brake pedal feedback, improved performance due to the use of some aluminum body panels and increased trunk space, I’d be even happier. Darn good thing, too, because three years isn’t that far away.

If you’re interested in high performance cars using the fuel of the future then you might want to see what’s available at uk car shipping.

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Make sure you slightly overlap each run of the tool otherwise you may miss a section that could show when the suite has dries. After you finish the side you’re working on make a try to judge if the side is clean enough and if you don’t think so then turn the cushion 1/4 turn and repeat the process at right angles to your original direction. If you still don’t think it’s clean enough let it dry and treat again but this time first spray the cushion lightly with a general cleaner designed for carpets and suites, brush it in and then repeat the above process.
Remember to do the sides and the underside of the cushion, otherwise you’ll only be doing part of the job, in exactly the same way as described here.

WARNING! Sometimes the cushions you sit on can become very soiled and this in turn may push dirt through to the cushion filling. Once wet the material acts like a wick and slowly seeps dirt to the surface from inside the cushion. If you believed that your cushion was clean but when dry it still looks very dirty this has probably happened. If you can, remove the inside of the cushion and clean again, otherwise clean again using as little water as possible and repeat until you have a satisfactory result.

The Top Edge
If the top of the sofa is dirty spray it with a general cleaner or spotter and treat any other stains you see. Then using the hand tool firstly lift the tool off the fabric and spray a portion parallel with the top and then suck the liquid off using the vacuum. The reason for doing it this way is that the tops are often so thin that the tool will not fit running lengthways and if you sprayed and vacuumed at the same time you would probably miss some of the top.

Both Faces of the Back Panel
Now run along the back of the settee spraying and vacuuming parallel to the top, overlapping each run slightly as shown on the cushions. Then working vertically from behind the sofa pull up from the seat to the top both adding liquid and vacuuming, moving from one side to the other one width of the vacuum tool at a time.

Arms and Sides
The arms of a sofa are often the most soiled portions. You’re therefore likely to have to treat these before you clean. A good solution to spray on is a 1:4 mix of household ammonia and water. Spray liberally and then scrub in with a soft brush. Next spray and vacuum the arms in sections as you see illustrated by the blue lines, in the direction of the red arrow. Go as far down as the seat once you’re sure the arms are coming clean.

Front of the Side Panel
This is perhaps the most awkward part of a settee to clean because it’s often shaped so that a hand tool just won’t both vacuum and spray. The way around this problem is to hold the hand tool about 4″ away from the fabric and spray the liquid onto it. Scrub it in lightly with a soft brush and then vacuum away angling the head of the vacuum to get as much liquid off as possible.

Seat Base and Front Panel
The seat base is simply a case of progressing from one side of the sofa to the other in bands that slightly overlap. If there are any stains treat them first but the most likely areas for staining are in between the cushions where something might slip down. The front panel at the bottom of the sofa can have scuff marks from shoes or splashes from anything dropped on the floor. Treat these first then work with the hand tool parallel to the ground stripe by stripe, slightly overlapping each pass.

If you’re cleaning your home to get ready to move out then you might be interested in shipping services, such as removal companies and shipping your car.

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