Ford chairman calls for a concerted push on electric

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DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. told government and industry leaders last week that his company is serious about building electric cars.

But he stressed that the automobile industry cannot make the shift to greener technology alone and called for a concerted effort to build the infrastructure these vehicles will require.

“We stand at the threshold of a revolution,” Bill Ford said during a keynote address at the Business of Plugging In conference. “This isn't just an R&D experiment for us. We have real vehicles. We've placed big bets. And they start coming off the line next year.”

Ford's first commercial electric vehicle, a battery-powered version of its Transit Connect van, will go on sale to fleet customers in 2010. The automaker also has announced plans to produce a battery-powered version of its new Focus compact for consumers in 2011, to be followed by a new generation of hybrids and plug-in hybrid cars and trucks.

“Customers aren't prepared to make many trade-offs at all. It's our collective job to make sure they don't have to,” he said.

He said Ford has done its part, adding that the vehicles will deliver features and performance on par with their gasoline-powered siblings. But he said the government, utility companies and others have to do their jobs as well.

Government incentives for consumers are needed to make electric vehicles affordable, at least until production volumes reach the point that automakers can achieve the economies of scale necessary to lower their cost, Bill Ford said. But even with incentives, he said few consumers will be willing to make the switch until charging facilities become “ubiquitous.”

Anthony Earley Jr., chairman and CEO of DTE Energy, said power providers would step up, adding, “We recognize that now is the time to step up and redouble our efforts to lay the groundwork for making plug-in electric transportation a reality in this country.”

Ford chairman calls for a concerted push on electric cars | Business | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle