Bush Visits Ford's Kansas Plant |
|---|
Topics: Ford Motor Company
|
Anthony Fontanelle
March 21, 2007
President George W. Bush toured Ford Motor Company’s Kansas assembly plant last Wednesday. The plant builds the first American E85 F-150 trucks and SUV hybrid electric vehicles. The President toured the hybrid assembly line and addressed more than 300 employees about the role American technology and innovation will play in delivering energy security to the country.
Bush thanked employees for being part of the solution to the country’s energy issues by building hybrid and E85 vehicles. “Technology changes the way we have lived our lives and technology is going to change the way we drive our cars,” added Bush. “You're making a new kind of automobile that is literally a part of changing America for the better.”
Alan Mulally, the president and CEO of Ford, welcomed President Bush to the Kansas plant and thanked him for coming to see first-hand how the automaker is delivering advanced technology vehicles to address climate change and energy security. “Ford stands ready to work with the Administration and Congress to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil,” Mulally said. “At Kansas City Assembly, we are doing some exciting things. In addition to producing the nation’s first hybrid electric SUV, we are also building the best-selling pickup truck in the world – the Ford F-150 – capable of running on E85 ethanol, gasoline or any combination of the two fuels.”
Mulally added, “We are also developing a range of advanced technologies that improve fuel efficiency, such as clean diesel, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen internal combustion engines, hydrogen fuel cells and advanced gasoline engines. These advanced technologies will help reduce green house gas emissions and lessen our dependence on foreign petroleum.”
“It is an extraordinary honor for us to welcome the President into our plant,” said Ken Ward, the plant manager of Kansas City Assembly. “Our employees had the opportunity to explain the hybrid production process and demonstrate their commitment to building the best hybrid and E85 vehicles in the world.”
The automaker earlier invested $100 million in its Kansas City plant to produce the new the conventional and hybrid Ford Escape for the 2008 model year. The Ford Escape is the world’s first hybrid SUV. Aside from the Ford Escape and the Mercury Mariner hybrid vehicles, the plant will also manufacture the first E85-capable F-150 pickup. The company also showed the president the Ford Edge which is built using the HySeries Drive. The latter is the world’s first drivable fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle offered with plug-in capability. The vehicle also features quality auto parts like sophisticated engines and other refined auto accessories and systems that could be likened to the EBC Active Brakes Direct performance and aftermarket flexibility.
Source: Amazines.com