Ford cars might as well come with an American flag strapped to the hood. Since the assembly line and the model T, they have been a symbol of American ingenuity and prosperity. Ford has earned a spot in American history. And, when I’m driving around I think I occasionally still see it out on the road. Perhaps that’s why, over the years, I’ve decided that they also represent another aspect of American nature.
America is big. We like big cars and trucks and we like them to go fast. So, when I think of a stereotypical American vehicle, I think of gas guzzling trucks that get gallons to the mile. I think of muscle cars with a whole lot of horsepower that suck up gas so fast you’d think they have a leak. Even old, oversized cars that probably could have doubled as tanks come to mind, guzzling gas and seemingly oozing pollution out of every orifice. I’m sure that cars never really oozed pollution out of every orifice or doubled as tanks, but a stereotype has been built. The cars of yesterday and even some vehicles of today are not environmentally friendly.
Things are changing. Those muscle cars are now antiques and the cutting edge now seems to be leaning toward environmental awareness. A new Ford car may be a Ford Focus or one of the select few hydrogen powered vehicles. These cars may answer the zero to sixty test with a “yes,” but they are cars that can brag about mileage and clean emissions. And these days, yes, being environmentally friendly is cool and something worth bragging about.
With that in mind, I looked up “new Ford car.” I was curious to see where this company that had such an impact on America and the world was up to. What do they see for themselves and the car industry in the years to come? I found exactly what I was looking for and couldn't have been happier.
"Discover why we're a globally recognized leader in emissions technology," is the opening to a header on the Ford Website (www.ford.com). In a section about their vision and values, they say: "We are a leader in environmental responsibility. Our integrity is never compromised and we make a positive contribution to society." Environmental responsibility is gaining popularity with the general public and car manufacturers. It is nice to see such large companies making efforts to help preserve our environment for posterity. Ford said some powerful words that hopefully have caught many people’s attention and I hope to see substance to them in the years to come.
Fortunately, they already have some substance to their pledge to environmental awareness. Although a couple of their most impressive innovations are not commercially available yet, the new Ford car is coming. Ford brags about a new internal combustion engine that they’ve engineered to run on hydrogen. It is twenty five percent more efficient than a typical gasoline engine. That alone is impressive but they went a step further and combined that technology with an advanced hybrid electric transmission. This system uses breaking to store energy in a battery. That battery then helps power the car when it starts to accelerate again. It all adds up to better fuel efficiency and a car that runs more cleanly.
The new Ford car is looking to these improvements and others to help carry them in the new car market in years to come. Cars like the Focus FCV are utilizing hydrogen fuel cells to help them get you where you need to go. Ford is by no means the only company with its eyes on the environment, but they have my attention nonetheless. I’d love to see such an American dynasty see renewed growth and contribute some great technology to people around the world.
David Wade