Ford's VP for Europe + Premiere Group supports PHEV research
Feb 16, 2006 (From the CalCars-News archive)

Speec by executive responsible for Ford Europe
plus its luxury division Premiere Automotive
Group (PAG), which includes Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo.

http://www.theautochannel.com/F/news/2006/02/16/210885.html

Ford Speaks About Its Sustainability "Mindset":
Calls For Support For Integrated Approach To Co2 Reduction

LONDON, 15 February 2006 – Ford Motor Company has
today spoken about its "mindset" change in
tackling CO2 emissions from vehicles, and has
called for greater support from all key
stakeholders – vehicle manufacturers, customers,
national governments, fuel suppliers and the
European Commission – in adopting a more
integrated approach to reducing CO2 from vehicles.

PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

Speaking in London today at the European
Petroleum industry's Europia conference, Lewis
Booth, executive vice president for Ford Motor
Company overseeing Ford of Europe and Premier
Automotive Group, said the company acknowledged
the importance of climate change and the responsibility to take action.

Ford's approach to sustainability is based on
science and the recognition from a growing body
of scientific evidence indicating that man-made
CO2 emissions are starting to significantly influence the world’s climate.

"If we are to stabilise climate change and avert
a potential catastrophe, we need to stabilise
concentrations of atmospheric CO2 at acceptable
levels," said Mr. Booth. "The debate continues,
but experts broadly agree that we need to
stabilise long-term CO2 concentrations at 550
parts per million, perhaps even lower."

"The scale of the challenge means that it's not
enough to introduce two or three new
environmental products and leave it at that. At
Ford, we are fundamentally reassessing the way we
do business, putting sustainability at the heart of everything we do.

"That requires nothing less than a complete and
radical change of mindset: not only for Ford
Motor Company, where we are undergoing this
transformation, but for the whole auto industry," he commented.

Lewis Booth also called for greater support for a
more holistic approach to the challenges raised
by sustainable mobility, echoing the approach
recently endorsed by the CARS 21 High Level Group
under the chairmanship of Günter Verheugen,
European Commissioner for Enterprise and
Industry, and which included representatives from
trades unions, NGOs, consumers, representatives
of European Member States and MEPs, plus leaders
from the automotive industry, including Mr. Booth.

"I believe that the challenges of sustainable
mobility can only be properly addressed by an
integrated approach: that is, a partnership of
stakeholders which includes the automotive
industry, the fuel industry, government at the
national and European level, and consumers."

Mr. Booth also indicated that there was no single
technological solution capable of addressing sustainable mobility concerns.

"The diversity of customer needs within and
across markets is why we at Ford are investing in
a portfolio of solutions across our brands and
across regions to improve CO2 performance.

"These solutions include: clean diesel; advanced
direct injection gasoline; weight stabilisation
and reduction; alternative fuel vehicles (AFV),
including flexible-fuel vehicles and developing,
superior AFV technologies; hybrid powerpacks and
research into plug-in hybrid technology; hydrogen
internal combustion engines (ICE); and hydrogen fuel cells."

Mr. Booth also called on governments to increase
investment in improved road and traffic
management infrastructures, and to ensure that
policy and incentives should be "technology
neutral". That is, incentives should not favour
one technology over another, but instead should
target the outcome rather than the solution.

He also stated to the assembled audience, largely
drawn from the oil industry, that the solution to
carbon emissions from road vehicles will come
from advances in fuel technology as well as vehicle technology.