Florida Gov. Charlie Crist marked the occasion at a Chevron Hydrogen station that will provide fuel for eight buses.

Power for the Ford E-450 shuttle buses is provided by a 6.8-liter V-10 engine that has been supercharged and modified to run exclusively on hydrogen fuel. Of these eight vehicles—the first to be operated in the United States—two will be used by the Greater Orlando Airport Authority (GOAA), and two by the Orlando Convention Central District. The remaining four will be delivered to customers in Florida at a later date. Ford delivered five buses to Canada, three in Ottawa and two in Vancouver in late 2006. In all, Ford will deliver 30 buses to customers across North America by year’s end.

Last year, Ford delivered five hybrid hydrogen Ford Focus Fuel Cell vehicles as part of separate effort with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Progress Energy to gain feedback on hydrogen fuel cell technology.