Re: Ford to have four more Hybrids in next 3 yrs
 

so we cant do anything about this? this is so sad

Re: Ford to have four more Hybrids in next 3 yrs
 

Ford Fusion Hybrid will be introduced at the November 2007 California auto show. This will be a early release of the 2009 hybrid Fusion Hybrid model which will go on sale in 2008. Fusion Hybrids have been seen at the Kansas City Escape production factory in 2007. See the photo below of a Fusion Hybrid:

http://images.leftlanenews.com/conte...ion-hybrid.jpg
You can try this link

http://www.leftlanenews.com/spied-fo...on-hybrid.html

:lightbulb

Ford's slowness of bringing additional hybrid models to the market place also deals with the word profit! Many of us with the Escape Hybrid keep reading and hearing Ford does not make money on each sale. This was true with the Toyota Prius until sometime in the year 2006. Ford's financial status does not allow them to build unlimited hybrids if they don't make money on them.:omg:

Re: Ford to have four more Hybrids in next 3 yrs
 

Maybe Ford isn't putting out hybrids because that isn't what their customers want. For example to my knowledge you can't buy a Ford pickup with a six cylinder. The base engine is a 4.6L V-8, I think. That's probably because the six wasn't selling. Same with the FEH. Anyone know how many they have sold? The FEH may have been less a plot to deceive and buy media coverage, than a product to test sales of hybrids in the market they hold an advantage in, namely light trucks and SUVs.

The Ford F150 pickup is still the number one selling vehicle in the world. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 750,000 per year. Incidentally, Chevy and Dodge aren't far behind. Each of the three outsell the Camry and Accord, and they have done so consistently for more than two decades.

I usually don't advocate for government action. But if we want our national fuel economy standards to improve I have a feeling that the government will need to mandate efficient technology the same way they did safety standards, seat belts and airbags for example.

CAFE standards won't do it. Those standards are, IMO, as much responsible for the proliferation of SUVs and light trucks as anything else. People, in the U.S. anyway, want larger vehicles and if they couldn't get a car... well, first thing you know the domestic automakers spot a trend and start marketing and producing product to meet demand.

If every vehicle is required to incorporate efficient technology (plug in hybrids burning 50% sawgrass ethanol being my personal favorites :D). But there are also others, cylinder deactivation, auto-off at stoplights etc. And tons of other options as well.

But I digress. I would love it if Ford were to put out more hybrids. But the biggest bang for our buck is going to be when every vehicle sold makes some big reductions in gasoline consumption.

Re: Ford to have four more Hybrids in next 3 yrs
 

You kinda landed on the answer to the question posed earlier. Ford was at one time committed to providing a wider portfolio of hybrids, but along the way, two significant occurences altered their path.

1. Their financial condition deteriorated rapidly, requiring a fast look at which product programs to fund and which to delay. Since hybrids ten to sell in the 10s of thousands and mid-size sedans, SUVs, and pickups all sell in the hundreds of thousands, the decision was probably fairly simple.
2. Mary Ann Wright left the company, leaving a hole in the hybrid product development plans. Whether she left because the company was putting more emphasis behind flex-fuel, or whether the company put more emphasis on flex-fuels because she left is sort of chicken and egg. Hard to tell which caused which, but both are feasible.

As far as just making the Freestyle (now called Taurus X) a hybrid by using the Escape system, there's a couple problems with that. They are not in the same weight class, do not use the same powertrain lineup, and would require a significant amount of engineering resource to pull off. Remember note 2 above wrt resources. The Escape uses either a 2.3L I4 and a 3.0L V6. The Taurus X uses a 3.5L V6. Typically a hybrid application is developed to work with a particular engine / transmission combination. Since the 2.3L is not already in the Taurus X portfolio, engineering it in would take a couple years and 10s of millions of dollars.

Another problem is that the Escape system is a system that Ford is buying from Toyota's partner, Aisin. When Ford wanted to increase capacity, Aisin was unable or unwilling to do so. What would make Ford think they would be willing to provide volume to support an additional application? Ford would also likely have to pay royalties to Toyota / Aisin to develop the new application. Again, refer to note 2 above.

Finally, a hybrid system is more than just an electrical system addition and a battery. There is significant interaction with other parts of the vehicle (chassis, braking, even radio) and would require vehicle program levels of staffing and funding. One more time.....see note number 2.

Peace,

Martin

Re: Ford to have four more Hybrids in next 3 yrs
 

Base engine for the F-150 is the 4.2L V6 with about 200 horsepower. Ford also sells the Explorer/Mountaineer with the V6.

Re: Ford to have four more Hybrids in next 3 yrs
 

By the limited "skin" showing in the pic (great to actually see a working product...cough, cough, volt...) is the Fusion hybrid the same sheetmetal as the gasser? Why is Ford doing this? Honda is bringing a brand new hybrid-only model to fight the "hybrid-looks-the-same-as-it's-gas-sibling" syndrome. If the Fusion was NOT like it's gas-only version, I think more people would buy...just my opinion. When given a choice between hybrids and their gas-only lookalikes...buyers seem to NOT want to pay 'extra' for the hybrid...everyday joe and jill don't "see" the difference except price. Offer a unique hybrid model that has features you can't get anywhere else...that way buyers are more apt to go with a hybrid, since the features are not on other vehicles.

Re: Ford to have four more Hybrids in next 3 yrs
 

The root issue here is probably that gas prices are not yet high enough to drive people to hybrids - the payback period is too long. The Insight had limited sales because only a certain number of people would buy a wierd looking 2 seater. Now Prius probably has saturated the market for weird looking 4 seaters. Hybrids need to succeed with "normal" looking/sized cars to continue to penetrate the market. It appears that Lexus/Highlander sales are stuck at a low level and even FEH sales seem to be slowing down after a boost from the jump in gas prices. It may be that it will take $5.00 gasoline to create a sustained large market for hybrids.

Re: Ford to have four more Hybrids in next 3 yrs
 

Your absolutely right Ken. As long as hybrids are looked at differently
from other autos the price of fuel is still too low for many to
consider hybrids. There has been a lot of past discussion about this
on GH and I thank several posters here for coming up with excellent
rebuttals to the current cost examples saying hybrids are not worth
it. I am pleased to be helping our society along with changing the
average person's perception about hybrids as "too expensive or too
radical for me".

Re: Ford to have four more Hybrids in next 3 yrs
 

The Ford Fusion Hybrid is coming out at the Californian auto show this November--or is it December. It should be going on sale by March 2008. There have been photos of it on the web including a Mexican website (Fusion is built in Mexico) that Ford threaten legal action against if it didn't shut down.

Ford's management made a decision to can or delay the Fusion Hybrid (was seen at the Ford Hybrid Experience in October 2005) for reason we don't know but believe are related to finances. Many of us continue to hear that Ford doesn't make much money (if not lose money) on each Hybrid sale secondary to the extra- expenses associated with the hybrid components. Don't worry, Toyota lost money on the Pirius until sometime in the year 2006.