Lewis Booth, executive VP for Ford Motor
responsible for Ford Europe and the Premier Automotive Group, told a European Petroleum Industry conference Wednesday
that Ford acknowledged the importance of climate change and the responsiblity to take action to stabilize CO2
levels.
Calling for “a complete and radical change of mindset: not only for Ford Motor Company…but
for the whole auto industry,” Booth (pictured at right) promoted an approach that integrates a variety of
solutions to satisfy a wide range of consumer needs and regional constraints.
Booth also appealed to
governments to ensure that policy and incentives are “technology neutral” – targeting the outcome, not the
solution. Current trends in North American government policy aimed at improving fuel efficiency are moving in the
opposite direction – subsidizing or incentivizing specific solutions like hybrid powertrains or E85 fuel.
Booth sees a portfolio of solutions aimed at improving CO2 performance, including clean diesel, direct injection
gasoline, weight reduction, alternative fuel technologies, flexible fuel vehicles, hybrids, hydrogen internal
combustion engines, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cells.
[Source: Ford]