Surprise, Surprise? Ford Breaks Hybrid Promises

Not long ago Ford stated that hybrid cars were an important technology for the company and that 250,000 Ford hybrids would be produced by 2010. While, Toyota has already far surpassed that number, less than a year after that historic and bold announcement, Ford has already given up on the plan.

Instead of hybrids, Ford is now promising 500,000 flex fuel vehicles by 2010. "What I didn't foresee at the time was how rapidly other technologies would evolve," he wrote. "Now, I am convinced that the objective we had set earlier to build capacity for 250,000 hybrids at the end of the decade is too narrow to achieve our larger goals of substantially improving fuel economy and CO2 performance." (MORE)

Is the end of Ford near? I say it is. By 2010 Toyota will probably be close to selling more than 1 million hybrid cars per year, more than twice the number of significantly cheaper flex-fuel vehicles that Ford will produce. Quite simply Ford can't compete.