Ford Executive Chairman says electric vehicles will be "game changer"

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford closed out SAE World Congress today with an endorsement for the future of electric vehicles.

'All the early cars were electric,' said Ford, great grandson of company founder Henry Ford. 'They‘ve been around really for the past century or so, but they really haven’t had mass market appeal.'

But Ford said the automotive industry is rapidly changing.

Ford, an ardent environmentalist who worked for years to change the company’s culture so that it would embrace environmental goals, said new technology makes it possible to introduce electric vehicles that can be embraced by mainstream consumers.

'It appears that the biggest game changer will be electric vehicles,' Ford said during a speech in Detroit. 'Our plan includes the introduction of five new high-mileage vehicles.'

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Over the next three years Ford plans to introduce a Transit Connect Electric commercial van, a Ford Focus electric vehicle, two new gasoline-electric hybrids and a plug-in hybrid."

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:applause:

Seems to have been quite an alliance over the decades --!!

for distance driving, but I can see a conversion to electrics for urban/suburban transportation being done quite easily, people renting the hybrids or gas powered cars for long trips.

It really makes a great deal of sense, especially if we can manage to decrease our reliance on coal for electricity generation.

There is no always. The oil will run out - sooner or later. When it does, our "need" for gas powered engines also runs out.

We must find alternatives sooner rather than later, and we will find them if we look.

But we also need stop thinking that we "need" gasoline. We don't.

will be biodiesel, especially if this country gets its head out of its ass and starts growing industrial hemp again.

They just simply get more and more expensive. Higher prices will reduce consumption. I don't mean 10% higher prices or even 50% higher prices but 100%, 200$, 500% and for extended periods of time. Oil at $200 - $300 a barrel and not dropping below $200 for 5 years will radically change consumption.

That reduced consumption however lengthens the amount of time reserves last. Also at higher prices more marginal reserves becomes economic.

We aren't running out of gasoline or oil. We are simply running out of cheap gasoline & oil.