Like GM, Ford Decides They’d Better Start Producing Smaller, More Fuel-Efficient Cars

Clayton B. Cornell — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:26:42 +0000

Gas Prices are Killing Large Cars and Trucks

Ford Motor Company announced today it will be scrambling to realign its North American Manufacturing operation with the realities of consumer needs today.

With gas prices above $4 / gallon, most Americans are shying away from giant gas-guzzling vehicles in favor of smaller fuel efficient models. Starting in December, Ford said it will accelerate production of new fuel efficiency technology, double their hybrid production and lineup, and downsize vehicles across the board. By 2010, Ford says 2/3 of its spending will be on small cars and crossovers, and it will pull six small European models to the US by 2012.

“While we have no intention of giving up our longtime truck leadership, we are creating a new Ford in North America on a foundation of small, fuel-efficient cars and crossovers that will set new standards for quality, fuel economy, product features and refinement,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas.
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Automakers Lose Vermont Greenhouse Gas Standards Case

Max Lindberg — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:11:05 +0000

They tried, but Chief Judge of the US District court in Vermont, William K Sessions III ruled against the auto industry’s attempt to block states, including Vermont, from adopting more rigorous greenhouse gas emission standards for new light-duty vehicles.

In his ruling, Judge Sessions said the industry failed to prove that the state standards were unattainable, that they usurp the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) prerogative to set fuel economy standards, and were preempted by federal authority.

The ruling came on the heels of an effort by the federal government to block California, and other states, from requiring that new, more stringent emission standards go into effect in 2009 models. The EPA blocked the California law in a contentious move that followed signing of the new energy bill in December of 2007.

I wrote about the action and urged all states involved that had followed California’s lead to file suit against the EPA to force their hand. You can read it here

California was the first to file suit, as outlined here.

California is awaiting resolution of their lawsuit in US District Federal Court in California.

This one is worth watching.

To read the case, it’s in PDF and you can access it at the Vermont Federal Court site.

(Case 2:05-CV-302 Green Mountain Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge et al v. Crombie et al)

Green Options » automakers

Like GM, Ford Decides They’d Better Start Producing Smaller, More Fuel-Efficient Cars

Gas Prices are Killing Large Cars and Trucks

Automakers Lose Vermont Greenhouse Gas Standards Case