Directory
Print
Email
ReprintsFord will not sell hybrids in Europe
Paul McVeigh
Automotive News Europe
November 6, 2007 16:04 CET
BERLIN -- Ford will not sell a hybrid car in Europe in the foreseeable future, Ford of Germany Chairman Bernhard Mattes said. Mattes said Europeans had different driving habits than motorists in the US, where the automaker sells a version of the Ford Escape medium SUV with a gasoline-electric powertrain. Mattes said it would be difficult to convince European buyers that the extra cost of buying a hybrid car was worth it. In the US, the regular Escape starts at about $17,800 (about 12,200 euros) while the hybrid version starts at about $20,300 (about 13,940 euros). Studies show that car buyers want greener cars, but they are not prepared to pay more for them. "Customers demand cost-neutral solutions" to reduce emissions, Mattes told the Automobilwoche Congress here. In Europe, Ford will concentrate on solutions such as stop-start systems, better aerodynamics and tires with low rolling resistance to help make its cars more fuel efficient. Said Mattes: "We have not yet exhausted all possibilities in these areas." You may e-mail Paul McVeigh at pmcveigh@craincom.de |
You can reach Paul McVeigh at pmcveigh@crain.com.
RSS Feed
