Ford Isn't Always Together in Electric Dreams

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

“‘The ultimate solution is the electrification of the vehicle,’ said [Ford Car Czar Derrick] Kuzak, who stressed he was speaking as an engineer and was not commenting specifically on Ford’s future product plans.” God forbid Ford should commit to a single technology, ’cause that might cause more of the old bureaucratic infighting for which The Blue Oval Boyz are famous. Anyway, The Detroit News reports that Derrick’s mate Jim Farley (of the RI Farleys) also reckons ethanol hydrogen the flux capacitor electricity is the “gas of tomorrow’s cars.” “Speaking to reporters separately [so as not to coordinate their stories], Ford’s chief marketing officer, Jim Farley, echoed Kuzak’s enthusiasm for electric vehicles. ‘All I know is that when I talk to customers about electrification they say, ‘That’s cool!’ We better be prepared as an industry.'” Yes, well, by the end of this electrifying cheerleading session, Kuzak backpedals from his “one alt power to rule them all” prognostication. “Kuzak said government intervention or consumer preference could ultimately make one of the other alternative power technologies a more viable choice and that’s why Ford is committed to developing all of them. ‘We have to, because we don’t know how it’s going to play out.'” That’s cool!

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Joeaverage Joeaverage on Sep 05, 2008

    So gas went up about a dollar over the past year. Will gas go up another dollar over the next tweleve months?

  • Tony-e30 Tony-e30 on Sep 05, 2008

    Robert: What do you think Kuzak is thinking of when he mentions that government intervention might determine the viable choice? Beside the $50B loan that probably wouldn't create anything technologically useful, what intervention could he be talking about?

  • Robert Farago Robert Farago on Sep 05, 2008
    tony-e30 What do you think Kuzak is thinking of when he mentions that government intervention might determine the viable choice? Beside the $50B loan that probably wouldn’t create anything technologically useful, what intervention could he be talking about? Some kind of big ass federal initiative/tax break, probably related to hydrogen, natural gas, oil (suddenly cheap U.S.-sourced gas), coal-power or flux capacitorization.
  • RetardedSparks RetardedSparks on Sep 05, 2008

    No opinion on the article, but thanks for reminding me of one of my favorite movies! Giorgio Moroder soundtrack, Virginia Madsen as the girl next door.... I've loved cellos ever since!

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