Ford has announced they intend to spend $4.5 billion to develop 13 new electrified vehicles, will come as music to the ears of those of you with green agendas.
The new range will surprisingly include a hybrid F-Series pickup and could be available in quality car dealerships by 2020. So what can you expect from the new face of Ford?
Ford CEO, Mark Fields, announced the news that the car giant is moving towards an "electric future" in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR) in December 2015.
Fields said: "Part of our job as a company and as an automotive manufacturer and now as a mobility company, is to think of what the world is going to look like five, 10, and even 15 years from now."
"And our view, very simply, is that over time, oil is a non-renewable resource. And therefore, over time, higher levels of electrification will be necessary not only to meet consumer demand in that timeframe but also to meet the regulatory requirements," Fields added.
Fields was a little light on specifics regarding the 13 new vehicles, but he did reveal that "We do have plans to have a rear-wheel drive hybrid truck by the end of the decade." Fields also indicated that the truck would be a conventional hybrid and not a plug-in.
The news hardly comes as a surprise if you factor events in late in 2015, where the United Nations Conference in Paris, COP21, saw world leaders agree to cut greenhouse emissions by up to 70% by 2050.
Although much of the cut on emissions will fall at the feet of the energy industry, if the targets are to be met, then car manufacturers worldwide will need to step up to the plate by following Ford's initiatives.
Fields also echoed this in his interview, "Although it’s a relatively small percentage of our sales, we are the second-largest seller and brand seller of electrified vehicles in the United States, and we’re the No. 1 seller of plug-in hybrids. So this is really allowing us to build on the leadership, understanding that the percentages today are small. But going forward, our view is that they’ll grow, and we want to position ourselves for that growth."
So the winds of change are most definitely in the air, but how long will it really be before we’re all driving more eco friendly vehicles and how will new technology change the face of your driving experience?
The new range will surprisingly include a hybrid F-Series pickup and could be available in quality car dealerships by 2020. So what can you expect from the new face of Ford?
Ford CEO, Mark Fields, announced the news that the car giant is moving towards an "electric future" in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR) in December 2015.
Fields said: "Part of our job as a company and as an automotive manufacturer and now as a mobility company, is to think of what the world is going to look like five, 10, and even 15 years from now."
"And our view, very simply, is that over time, oil is a non-renewable resource. And therefore, over time, higher levels of electrification will be necessary not only to meet consumer demand in that timeframe but also to meet the regulatory requirements," Fields added.
Fields was a little light on specifics regarding the 13 new vehicles, but he did reveal that "We do have plans to have a rear-wheel drive hybrid truck by the end of the decade." Fields also indicated that the truck would be a conventional hybrid and not a plug-in.
The news hardly comes as a surprise if you factor events in late in 2015, where the United Nations Conference in Paris, COP21, saw world leaders agree to cut greenhouse emissions by up to 70% by 2050.
Although much of the cut on emissions will fall at the feet of the energy industry, if the targets are to be met, then car manufacturers worldwide will need to step up to the plate by following Ford's initiatives.
Fields also echoed this in his interview, "Although it’s a relatively small percentage of our sales, we are the second-largest seller and brand seller of electrified vehicles in the United States, and we’re the No. 1 seller of plug-in hybrids. So this is really allowing us to build on the leadership, understanding that the percentages today are small. But going forward, our view is that they’ll grow, and we want to position ourselves for that growth."
So the winds of change are most definitely in the air, but how long will it really be before we’re all driving more eco friendly vehicles and how will new technology change the face of your driving experience?
