Ford engineer believes in electrification
Hybrids are too expensiveFord Motor Co.'s global product development chief, Derrick Kuzak, believes the future is not hydrogen. It's not biofuels, nor gasoline either. It's electricity. Ironically, however, he doesn't seem to know when Ford would be rolling out this future. Instead, Kuzak told the DetroitNews that Ford would still work on ALL these technologies. And, he also took a shot at hybrid cars, calling them too expensive.
Are they too expensive when gas is $4.00?
Labels: electric cars, Hybrid Vehicles
posted by Dahcredyns at
6:02 AM
5 Comments:
Gotta love Ford.
Yes, electrification of the automobile is an important and necessary path for the auto industry. Still, it is not an excuse not to build hybrids today.
Suddenly, no-electric-cars-in-their-product-portfolio automakers are turning EVs into last decade's fuel cells. 'Do nothing today until the perfect technology of the future is perfected'.
Hasn't that path failed?
If Ford understands the future so well, how come Ford is having such a hard time selling automobiles?
Both Toyota and Honda seem to think differently, particularly on the the future of hybrids than Ford, and they also seem to be doing far better than Ford.
Hmmm. Listen to a failing business or a successful business???
Fortunately, this was only one engineer and others within Ford disagree.
Well, at least he realizes what a boondoggle and a sham Hydrogen is.
I think Ford is even more incompetent than GM at this point, and that is saying alot! Ford could easily produce plug in Escape's, so you would think that would be a good starting point...but as we have seen, automakers resist the plug with unparalleled tenacity!
GM is struggling to recover from decades of poor, short-term decision making, but at least they have a solid plan. There is light at the end of the tunnel if they can stick around long enough.
Ford, well, Ford is just talking at this point. Different people inside Ford saying different things. Other than Ecoboost and 50,000 hybrid vehicles per year, Ford seems to have no idea how to play the future.
Take a stand. Honda has done it. Toyota has. Even GM has. Ford is still sitting on the fence like humpty dumpty.
He is right that the electrification of transportation is the next step. It really is too bad that Ford is taking so long, but at least they have taken some first steps with the research they are doing with Southern California Edison on the plug-in Escape. Once you've added the plug, its easy to offer a ICE-less version. I just hope something comes of the research with SCE, and soon
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/26/abg-first-impression-ford-escape-plug-in-hybrid-w-video/
the Edison program is mostly PR as far as Ford is concerned in my opinion. sure it helps Edison understand load issues, etc., but how does it doesn't really help Ford put such vehicles on the road any faster?
also, if you follow the logic of this engineer, then Ford's plug-in hybrids don't make sense because they are based on a parallel hybrid configuration.
according to this engineer, its either pure EVs or perhaps a series hybrid, like the volt, that make more cost-effective sense, not the current plug-in hybrid escapes.
of course, others at ford disagree with this engineer, and that's the problem - lack of focus.
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