"Ford poised for big hybrid push"

[GreenPartyVoter]

"Auto maker plans fuel-efficient versions of half its models, wants to produce 250K by '10."

http://www.cnn.com/2005/AUTOS/09/21/ford_hybrid/index.html

[Rude Horner]

1. Funny that they only seem to give a shit...

about fuel efficiency AFTER their truck sales tank out. Only after it started hitting them in the pocketbook did they think, "Gee, maybe we outta produce more fuel efficient cars".

[Mr_Spock]

3. Well, true they haven't pushed the hybrids.

But obvioulsy they've been working on this technology for a while. I first heard about the hybrid Escape over a year ago. This is motivation to PUSH the hybrid drivetrain from a marketing and production aspect. Good marketing if you ask me.

[Ready4Change]

5. Late marketing.

The US car industry has failed to incorporate the lessons it should have learned in the 70's. And I don't mean "fuel efficiency." I mean "looking down the road." The trend towards higher efficiency vehicles was obvious to me 10 years ago, and when Honda and Toyota came out with hybrids I said to myself "These guys are paying attention."

But, out of all the domestic car manufacturers, there is currently just 1 hybrid vehicle available.

US automakers lack of foresight dooms them to continued "also ran" status.

[lectrobyte]

13. Working on it? They bought it from Toyota.

[Mr_Spock]

15. So the Escape is a Toyota?

American cars have been using Japanese power plants for years. The majority of the design work is incorporating the drive system and regenerative brakes and battery packs onto their platform. As a mechanical designer, the actual drive train is something a 5th grader could think of - I know I did. It's the impetus and implementation that are difficult. But I suppose we should just be mother fucking grouchy pissants here at DU and criticize them even when they do something right. Since I would never buy another foreign nameplate vehicle ever again, it is good news for me. Have fun all you scowling grouchy pessimists making fun of them - it's just in time for many of us who aren't so fucking miserable.

[lectrobyte]

21. The hybrid drivetrain system is purchased from Toyota. The engine

itself is a Ford. I think it is great that Ford is at least finally getting interested in hybrid technology, and I was just pointing out where it came from. If that makes me one of your "mother fucking grouchy pissants" then perhaps you need to re-evalute your own frame of reference.

[Mr_Spock]

22. "Working on it?" "Working on it?" "Working on it?" "Working on it?"

C'mon - your attitude SUCKS!!!

[madokie]

35. I'm glad its not only me, but why you.

ZZZZZ

[Mr_Spock]

38. "Ford's Escape will rely on mostly Ford-developed hybrid technology."

"I was just pointing out..."

[lectrobyte]

40. Thanks, I did not know that.

At least Ford seems to get it, and GM may be catching on. Diamler seems to think we all want "hemis" or 4 door Chargers (isn't that blasphemy?).

[madokie]

23. In those 5th grade years did you learn anything about MANNERS

move back a ways and lighten up a bit

[Mr_Spock]

26. I was too busy learning about technology.

Not learning how to criticize things I know little about how difficult they are to implement.

[Rosco T.]

18. Actually Ford's Hybrid system comes from Honda...

They've been letting Ford hammer on it for a while, Honda Hybrids coming in '07.

[Mr_Spock]

24. Tell Mr. "Working on it?" above - he's sure it's a Toyota.

Are you saying the Ford is out before the Honda using the same technology?

[lectrobyte]

27. Honda has the Insight, and hybrid Civics and Accords. The

Accord is fairly recent, but the Civic has been around a few years. The Insight I think was the first hybrid, in 98 or 99.

[Mr_Spock]

31. "Ford's Escape will rely on mostly Ford-developed hybrid technology."

Jiminy crickets - why don't you stab a Ford engineer you hate them so much?

[lectrobyte]

25. Uh, Honda's had hybrids out for 4 years or more now...

and the Escape system is from Toyota.

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0403/11/autos-87820.htm

[Mr_Spock]

28. "The patents Ford is buying involve SOFTWARE that controls, among other

things, whether the gas engine or electric motor is used. In hybrid vehicles, power to the wheels shifts from the gas engine to the electric motor depending on demand to save fuel.

[Mr_Spock]

29. "Ford's Escape will rely on mostly Ford-developed hybrid technology."

MOSTLY!

[lectrobyte]

33. Cool! I assumed they had to be buying stuff from Toyota since

I'd read those articles, and ones similar to the following:

http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2005/mft05092106.htm

[Mr_Spock]

36. Thanks!! I now know where my business opportunity lies.

I gotta get into designing specialty components for these hybrid cars :D

[Mr_Spock]

30. "Ford says it will modify about 20 of the 370 patents that Toyota holds"

They were only licensing MOSTLY SOME SOFTWARE technology damn it!!

[TlalocW]

2. Aw, crappy sales must be making them feel irrelevant

What with all the upstart companies not in the big 3 proving themselves more nimbler and able to adjust to changing needs while they mindlessly plow ahead with eyes tightly shut.

TlalocW

[charlie]

4. 2010?

I wonder if they'll have any turf left to defend in 4 years.

[papau]

6. As GM bets the company on larger SUV's and Trucks with same MPG

as todays -

All improvements go into heavier, bigger, faster monsters.

So GM must be a supporter of the GOP - since neither has two brain cells to rub together.

[KittyWampus]

7. Aren't Ford's "Hybrids" Just Regular Combustion Engines With Some

electrical gadgetry thrown in for the sake of marketing?

Seems a really informative thread the other day intimated this... their fuel efficiency was a joke compared to real hybrids.

[Mr_Spock]

8. Type "escape hybrid" into Google.

The info is out there. 36 HWY 31 CITY EPA. Read about the technology here:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/escapehybrid/home/

"The Escape Hybrid is the first vehicle of its kind to combine full hybrid technology with the capability and features of an SUV. Being a full hybrid means that it can be powered by the gasoline engine working alone, the electric motor by itself, or by both working together. The operation cycle can be broken down to four stages, all of which contribute to the Escape Hybrid's long range and fuel efficient ways."

[madokie]

9. You will also find it is Toyota Prius Technology

[Mr_Spock]

11. Oh, so it's no good then?

Or it's a shame they had to share technology with the Japanese?

Or it's a shame they didn't do it first?

That makes it good or bad?

[lectrobyte]

16. It makes Ford a follower instead of a leader. Their goal is to

sell 250K units a year by 2010, that's about where Toyota is today. By the time Ford gets ramped up, Toyota and Honda will be on the next generation of this technology.

[madokie]

17. Come on man, I didn't insinuate anything of the likes

I was only pointing out that it is Prius Technology. geeeze

[Mr_Spock]

20. Why did you feel it necessary to point that out?

it didn't follow from my previous post. I know it was intended as a dig at Ford - and so do you x(

[Mr_Spock]

34. "Ford's Escape will rely on mostly Ford-developed hybrid technology."

Yeah, it's a Prius. They simply licensed 20 patents from Toyota. Sheesh. And they most involve software.

[lectrobyte]

14. The first hybrid SUV? Wasn't the Lexus 400H out before the Escape?

[triguy46]

10. They don't get it...

First, their escape, though cool, is way expensive. Second, even with hybrid tech, the bottom line, fuel economy, they still lag. Its as if they are taking half a step, afraid or unable to address a) cost of ownership and b) medium level fuel economy doesn't really help.

I am buying a new 2006 Civic LX. $17800, 40 mpg Hiway, 30 city, with a newly configured engine from 2005 that delivers 25 more bhp with better mileage ratings.

Unless they get to where they can compete on price and improve their mileages, they will be firmly positioned as a wannabe.

[TheFarseer]

12. GOOD

I can't wait to see it. I heard they are selling the hell out of their Focus or some other small car(can't quite recall which one). Maybe someone finally caught on.

[IChing]

19. "The new SUV that may spell salvation for General Motors has arrived"

That is from Detroit News from Today!!!!!!!!!!!!

"On Thursday, the automaker debuted the 2007 Chevy Tahoe, a bigger, better looking, more powerful and more fuel-efficient truck than its predecessor, which powered GM's profit for the last four years.


The SUV is vital to GM returning to profitability and to the fate of thousands of jobs at assembly plants and suppliers in Detroit and across North America.


It hits the market when some observers think buyers may have turned away from big SUVs because of rising fuel prices and changing tastes."

The new SUVs are the key to turning that around, and they are part of a massive investment program that will also lead to all-new models of GM's million-plus-selling full-size pickups in 2007. The family of new trucks is code-named GMT 900.


General Motors may have hit pay dirt with the program.
http://www.freep.com/money/autoreviews/phelan21e_20050921.htm

So who is eating up this bullshit?????? yea, they claim a combined city/highway 20mpg.

[lectrobyte]

37. GM announced a full-size hybrid pickup a year ago, that should be

hitting the market sometime soon. That'll probably do real well for them, but a 2WD SUV that gets 20MPG seems too little too late these days.

[TheFarseer]

41. well, yeah, haven't seen any results yet

just talk. It's annoying to me in any case that they are still going with SUVs even if they are hybrids. Let's face it: any gas milage an SUV could get, a car could get even better with the same hybrid technology. If I hear about a miraculous Hummer that gets 15 mpg with hybrid technology, I'm going to vomit.

[Cleita]

32. Looks like a step in the right direction.

I would like to see them do an electric hybrid using bio-fuel alone and elimating the need for all petroleum products.

[GreenPartyVoter]

39. Baby step

[jmowreader]

42. Except for the diesel needed to grow the biofuel, right?

Everything's connected, and a "solution" that just moves the petroleum consumption somewhere else isn't much of a solution.

I would like to see them promise to cut off their political funding for the Republican Party unless the Republicans vote to shut down Bush's war and use the savings to fund light rail in every American city with population over 500,000 that doesn't have it already. GM is one of the largest manufacturers of railway equipment in America, there's no reason why they can't start making light-rail trains.

[Cleita]

43. And how about the electricity needed to fuel that?

I like the idea of rapid public transportation in population dense areas. As a matter-of-fact I'd like it to be free like our roads and bridges. However, in most of this big country especially in the West people need cars to get around. I have to drive fifteen miles one way to do a lot of my shopping and see doctors and dentists. I once had to drive a hundred miles one way to go to the store and see doctors and dentists.

I think we really have to think of bio-fuel seriously. Also, you aren't going to take SUVs away from a lot of people if they can afford them, so why not offer them an SUV that is more environmentally friendly?