Expedition to go green?
Ford Motor Company is mulling ways to move some of its Expedition metal -- which is a good thing considering the 82-day supply the automaker is currently hoarding. The Dearborn-based automaker is taking its big Expedition SUV, which gets 14 mpg in the city, and making a diesel or hybrid version of it. The diesel would be a V8 slated for Europe, while the hybrid version would compete with GM's big hybrid SUVs, the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe. It might not move the cars off the lot now, but it is some foresight sorely needed for the vehicle if it is to survive.
The diesel engine won't be a big deal. Ford may decide to beef up the 3.6L diesel V8 currently found in many a Land Rover over in Europe, but a hybrid won't be so easy. If Ford decides to do the development of the hybrid itself, the vehicle would definitely arrive a little late to the party (the Expedition will probably go on sale in 2010, whereas we'll see GM's trucks in 2008); however, the company may decide to go another route to bring the vehicle to market faster -- buy the two-mode hybrid technology from GM. The issue at hand is that Ford currently does not have rear-wheel drive truck platforms capable of hosting hybrid technology.
[Source: Automotive News via AutoWeek and Hybrid Car News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Robert Aitchison 7:04PM (6/28/2006)
I can't think of a bigger waste of effort for Ford right now. Hybridizing the Expedition would bring it to maybe the low 20s MPG wise.
People at Ford can't handle the stark reality, the 1990s SUV boom is over, it was a passing fad and isn't likely to return. The sooner FOrd & GM accept that that and focus exclusively on vehicles with a future (cars, crossovers & minivans) the better off they will be.
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el indiano 8:12PM (6/28/2006)
wow! now you can still look like a wankster but help save the environment.
so ford, i can only find 1 e85 station in all of california...am i not looking hard enough....oh wait...silly me, there is only 1.
now that's a bold move. see what i did there?
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IconicPoint 11:06PM (6/28/2006)
Ford is a serious case of denial if they think that hybridizing the Expedition will bring them profits. It is 06 not 96 gas has topped 3 dollars a gallon. Ford must of spent most of their research on the cars and thought people would put up with gas guzzling SUVs. GM caught on fast and will release 3 brands of hybridized SUVs in fall of 07. Well analayst predict 2010 for the new Expedition only time will tell.
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PJ 12:01AM (6/29/2006)
Well, I'm no fan of full-size SUVs, but I'm going to play devil's advocate and acknowledge that there are still a significant number of people that are convinced that they need a Suburban or Expedition to drive their 2.5 kids to school in the morning.
If Ford gets a hybrid version of such a vehicle to market within a few years, they'll have the jump on import brands and offer something unique--not something you can say very often about the domestic brands. Even if it only averages 20 MPG real-world, that's an impressive achievement. Most minivans only do that well.
I suppose the consumer climate could change drastically between now and 2010, but it doesn't, it could be a real shot in the arm for Ford. I don't welcome the idea of the SUV fad continuing, but I'll also admit to something of a sentimental attachment to the domestic brands, and I'd like to see them turn themselves around.
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Jake 3:50AM (6/29/2006)
Looks like employee pricing is here to stay.
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Michael Taylor 9:48AM (6/29/2006)
#1 - You must have missed the memo about Toyota rolling out a 7 passenger hybrid SUV, Highlander Hybrid. Make sure you blast them too for barking up the same wrong tree as GM & Ford.
#2 - Here's a tip: Hybrid vehicles are those that use electric motors and batteries (or haydraulic systems, etc) in conjunction with a gas powered internal combustion engine. Now while its probably that the ICE will be of the flex-fuel (E85 capable) variety, E85 wasn't mentioned once in the article above. However, it was mentioned here.
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Michael Taylor 9:50AM (6/29/2006)
Err, mentioned here: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/02/ford_announces_.html
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MikeW 6:23PM (7/03/2006)
Isn't the 2007 toyota sienna minivan getting the 2gr-fe engine with 3.08 axle ratio and beating honda with a 21/29 EPA fuel economy numbers?
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