courtesy of Autobloggreen
Ford seems to be the only American car company that even comes close to ‘getting’ the future of personal transportation and its fuel source. With the success of its own Fusion hybrid in 2009, Ford seems to be looking to capitalize on what foreign automakers have known for years: going green means making green.
From Autobloggreen:
At Ford’s press conference this morning at the Detroit Auto Show, the new 2012 Focus was rolled out publicly for the first time anywhere. We have a full report on the new compact here, but product development VP Derrick Kuzak and Chairman Bill Ford dropped a couple of new details. Kuzak made it official that after the Focus launches with the new 2.0-liter direct injected inline-four, it will eventually also get an Ecoboost engine as well. The 1.6-liter Ecoboost will be available globally in the Focus. In 2011, production of the battery-powered Focus Electric will also begin at the Michigan Assembly Plant.
Bill Ford announced that the plant in Wayne will also produce the next-generation hybrid and plug-in hybrid systems beginning in 2012. Ford would not reveal which models would get the new hybrid powertrains, however, the Escape is expected to be replaced by a version of the next-generation Kuga, which is also derived from Ford’s C-segment platform. If so, this is the first time we’ve heard that it would be produced at the Wayne plant.
Ford is promising 30 miles on electric power before the gasoline engine kicks in on its 2012 Fusion PHEV. It also plans to produce only 5,000 beginning in 2011.
The Good: An American automaker is taking more than symbolic measures to offer greener model cars
The Bad: Ford is still late to the game when it comes to offering production model hybrid and PHEV vehicles.
The Bottom-Line: With Ford’s new found direction, and profitability, it appears the company is heading down a much better path that will not only better serve its more eco-consciouss demographic, but its bottom-line as well.
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