Ford tackles climate change CEO Mulally says global warming is real; creates new environmental post Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News In one of the strongest statements on climate change ever made by a U.S. auto industry executive, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally said Monday that global warming is real, manmade and caused in part by auto emissions. "The vast majority of data indicates that the temperature has increased, and I believe the correlation and the analysis says that is mainly because of the greenhouse gases keeping the heat in. You can just plot it with the Industrial Revolution and the use of all of our resources," he said. Mulally made the comments during a telephone press conference called to announce the promotion of Susan Cischke, Ford's vice president of environmental and safety engineering, to the newly created post of senior vice president in charge of sustainability, environment and safety engineering -- a move Mulally said was meant to underscore the importance of this issue to Ford's corporate strategy. "It's about sustainability, it's about mobility, it's about safety, it's about (being) stewards of our environment," he said. "This is the biggest agenda we have at Ford. I think it's going to be one of the most important considerations to the customers that buy our products and services going forward."
Also Monday, General Motors Corp. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said the U.S. government needs to take a Manhattan Project-like approach to creating a national energy policy, bringing the best minds in the country to bear on the issue of energy sustainability and independence.
Yeah, okay Bob, sure, the government should do it. We want to know what GM plans to do about this issue. What are you going to do about it, Bob?
I have hope for Ford, with Mulally at the helm. Maybe I'm too much the optimist. We'll see.
Excellent...I too have hope for Ford. I've always inclined to buy ford. I thought the MMH would be my last ford purchase, but if Mullaly is serious, let's see if ford can make some headway.
I have long written off GM...until the Volt announcement, but lately, the Volt seems to be more and more of a dream.
GM and Ford, I think you're under the scope...it's do or die time now.
The problem is that neither Ford nor GM will actually do anything real. Then, 10 years from now, blame everyone but themselves for not having an appropriate vehicle ready to market.
In other words, this requires planning further ahead than just 3 months, and neither Ford nor GM is capable of planing any further ahead than for their next stockholder's meeting.
In other words, this requires planning further ahead than just 3 months, and neither Ford nor GM is capable of planning any further ahead than for their next stockholder's meeting.
That has been the case, and it fits typical American management-think.
But I still am hoping Mulally will turn things around. He was hired to do that. He is expected to do that. And I think he wants to get Ford on the right path, to be more "Toyota like" in its management. That may be the most hopeful sign.
Yeah, the Escape Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient SUV there is, and they'll be releasing the Fusion Hybrid in a year or so, I believe. And they released the FEH a couple of years ago, not taking a while then spitting out a feeble attempt like GM. It's true that SUVs and pickups are still huge, but that's just the way the market is. We can look at slightly shrinking SUV sales as encouraging, but the fact is they're still huge.
Ford knows how to build full-hybrids. That's something GM has yet to do...
Harry
They Know how to build ONE hybrid, the FEH. The Mariner hybrid is just amore expensive Escape. I'd be move impressed if they offered a hybrid Focus to compete with the Prius and Civic hybrids and offered a Fusion hybrid to compete with the Camry and Accord hybrids.
But "American" and "innovation" is an oxymoron these days.
It is frustrating to watch big corporations act dumb.
I have sent emails to Ford. In one, I told them if they made a high-quality car that got 40 mpg or better I'd buy one. Maybe in 5 years, if they are still around, they can sell me one.
It is frustrating to watch big corporations act dumb.
I have sent emails to Ford. In one, I told them if they made a high-quality car that got 40 mpg or better I'd buy one. Maybe in 5 years, if they are still around, they can sell me one.
Harry
They would probably launch it in Europe but not let us buy it in the United States. After all, they KNOW that Americans ONLY care about power and luxury.
Signs of Change at Ford
