Ford To Ramp up Electric Car Production
Ford Motors today outlined plans to introduce electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids within three years, ramping up production and development greatly to meet what is expected to be warm market demand.
Ford's first product will be a van-type vehicle for commercial fleets in 2010 and a sedan in 2011 with a goal of making battery powered cars cost effective. Currently, the cost of batteries make plugin hybrid or all electric vehicles significantly more expensive than gasoline engine cars. Ford said that it will work with unnamed battery and electric vehicle powertrain providers to bring its electric cars to market. The company said that it intends to invest $14 billion in efficiency and it will introduce in cars its EcoBoost technology, which it unveiled at last year's North American International Auto Show.
As soon as the new Ford Fusion hybrid hits the roads this spring it will quickly claim a spot as one of the most efficient hybrids on the market. Expectations are of 40+ mpg for the Ford Fusion hybrid.
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Solar Electric Vehicles and solar pioneer Greg Johanson have developed a solar kit for the Toyota Prius that increases range and and fuel econemy far and above the norm for the hybrid.
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Ford Motors plans to roll out a pair of brand new gas-electric hybrids early in 2009 based on a redesigned 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan midsize sedans.
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Cities in the San Francisco region said they would offer incentives and standardize infrastructure with Better Place to offer electric cars as a service, like a cell phone, at prices similar or below standard cars.
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Chinese car company Changan and Canadian company Electrovaya are partnering to bring electric cars to Canada later this year.
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