|
Even Ford didn't really
buy the concept of hybrid
cars when the first Toyota
Prius and Honda
Insight hit the streets, but they are much more
serious now.
Bill Ford has become a very vocal proponent of Ford's
hybrid vehicle program and has been lobbying media and
Congress to create more tax incentives to develop these
vehicles. Hybrids represent automotive innovation, and
Bill Ford wants Ford to be the industry's most innovative
auto company.
How serious is he? While some skeptics might think it's
all just talk, Ford appears to be very serious.
"Anyone who thinks or attempts to convince you that
it's business as usual at Ford is wrong and would best
serve us all by pursuing their interests elsewhere,"
Bill Ford said in an audio message e-mailed to workers
Monday afternoon. "Our heritage of innovation must be
reclaimed and renewed or the greatness of our company will
become part of our past. It's that simple."(DetroitNews)
And according to AutoWeek, Ford is pushing far into the
hybrid future, already working on its third generation
hybrid drive, even though their second generation hybrid
drive is still years from reality. Because, "We are
not going to be rolling on a very long technology cycle.
It's going to be much shorter," states Ford's hybrid
head, Nancy Gioia, "Once you get it out there and you
have proof of concept that things work, you can
miniaturize and take advantage of the things technology
can bring. We already have an idea of what Gen III will
look like, and we even have ideas for what comes after
that."(AutoWeek)
In the short term, Ford is focusing on developing a supply
network for hybrid parts, while also finding partners for
battery development, or even powertrain development.
One thing is clear; however, it isn't business as usual at
Ford. Complacency can no longer survive in the auto
industry, and the Ford
Escape hybrid and the Mercury
Mariner hybrid are just the beginning of the new Ford.
Comment
on this article.
|
