Ford Also Plans to Enter the Plug-in Car Arena
Yesterday, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally said that hsi company plans to sell plug-in hybrids within the next 5 to 10 years.
He made this comment at an event marking a partnership between Ford and Southern California Edison to explore the feasibility of rechargeable cars and the impact on the electrical grid of their widespread use.
Ford is apparently giving 20 plug-in modified Escape hybrid vehicles to the utility company who will hand them out to some of it’s customers for analysis.
Although lagging behind GM by years, this announcement by the number 2 U.S. automaker proves the importance of this new class of vehicles and clearly indicates that mass production and widepread use and acceptance will certainly be taking place in the near future.
Theres no stopping the plug!
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5 Responses to “Ford Also Plans to Enter the Plug-in Car Arena”
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July 10th, 2007 at 11:44 am
They want Time to evaluate the Escape hybrid with the “average consumer,” and then the conversions will begin. 2 years for 20 conversions. That tells me this is BS and a marketing ploy making people think they will be able to upgrade or convert their Escape hybrid someday. Ugh, more garbage. Good enthusiasm though.
July 10th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Ford is making the same mistake that GM made 5 years ago. They are staring at their feet instead of watching the horizon. Thankfully, GM realized the error of short-sightedness and has begun looking toward the future which is all electric cars. The “range extender” security blanket in the Volt is only there to make us comfortable with all electric drive. Ford will figure this out too.
July 10th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
This is pure PR. Since when do you need to “test” a plug-in hybird? If Ford doesn’t understand the concept, I’d be glad to explain it for a fraction of the cost of this silly project, whcih is simply PR by Ford becuase they don’t have a plug-in program in progress. And how can Ford claim it will take them 5 years to make a plug-in when all that’s needed is a battery, and a
practical one of them will be available from the company not selected by GM. Ford isn’t making any sense here. I also like the coy comments coming from Toyota and Honda, both of whom are working hard on a plug-in - Toyota says they are “evaluating
the concept.” They just don’t want to admit they’re in the race and then lose to the VOLT. Same old Japanese “don’t lose face”
philosophy.
July 12th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Why research the effect on the grid? Why not include in the package “garage roof” photvoltaic pannels (like Tesla do)?
Widespread micro-generation would have far more effect on CO2 outputs than any new car design.
July 24th, 2007 at 9:15 am
Neither Ford or GM will market an EV. Look at their history. Neither has innovated anything since the Mustang for Ford and maybe the Corvette for GM.
Good luck to anyone who is waiting to actually see an EV from GM or Ford. Maybe if Prius markets a plug in Prius, Ford will license it and put into the wrong body and market to few, just like the Escape.
GM on the other hand was the company that marketed the EV-1 and then crushed them.
Maybe the leopard can change his spots, but probably not in my lifetime.
IMO you will see a plug in from Korea, India or China before you see one from GM or Ford.
Additionally once both Honda, Nissan and Toyota market their clean diesels in 2009, GM just might be on the ropes.