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Ford puts the pedal down on performance … but not with electric drive technology right now

Green Car Congress

The new Ford GT on display in the Ford stand at NAIAS. In December, Ford President and CEO Mark Fields said Ford would focus on five key areas of innovation, one of them being performance. Ford’s electric drive vehicle sales. Ford has been selling hybrids and, later plug-ins, since 2004.

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Ford’s first mass-produced carbon fiber wheels

Green Car Congress

To source the new lightweight track-capable carbon fiber wheels that are standard on the new Shelby GT350R Mustang, Ford partnered with Australia-based Carbon Revolution. Carbon Revolution first began delivering composite wheels in 2004 for Formula SAE campaigns. Ford, however, wanted more of a mass-production solution.

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How Carmakers Are Responding to the Plug-In Hybrid Opportunity

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

Several dozen prototypes on 15-passenger van since 2004; now in second generation development; no production plans. Ford Escape PHEV-40 around 2012. Several after-market companies have done PHEV conversions of the Ford Escape hybrid and one has done a retrofit of the F-150 pickup -- see Where PHEVs Are and ICE-Conversions.)

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