Is Ford is Steering to the Left?

[plowjockey]

It been interesting how the Chevy Volt, Electric Hybrids vehicles in general, and green technology, in general, has been bashed to death here, as a waste of time, money and effort - a tool of the Leftists, bent on bringing America to it's knees.

This afternoon, I sleepily watched an hour-long Ford infomercial, where they touted hybrid and electric technology, endlessly, in all of their vehicles, as being the wave of the future and the direction, Ford Motor Company wants to go - big time.

One pillar,of the "Four Pillars", of Ford's plan for continuing sucess, into the future, is "drive Green Technology", where the goal is less emissions and better fuel economy. One part they were making seat filling, out of recycled wood fibers, for lighter weight.

Drive Green Technology: The latest Alternative Fuel and Sustainable Vehicles | The Official Site of Ford Vehicles | Ford.com

Is Ford simply kow-towing, to the Marxist Regime, or are they smart enough to see, that there is future sales (and profit), in fuel efficient, environmentally clean cars - throughout the world?

[mnn2501]

If the right were touting green technology you would see it praised here, but because the left is touting it you see it bashed here.

Like any new technology, it needs time to develop and it won't develop without being put into use, after all it was only 30 years ago that most cars got 10 - 12 mpg

[sewserious]

Electric cars are nothing new and the technology hasn't really improved much! This is just one example; there are several. Maybe someday folks will wake up and realize that electric cars just aren't viable or they would have been much more popular a long time ago! The car in this article is 115 years old and goes as far on a charge as a Volt! LOL! Stupid greenies.

This 115 Year Old Electric Car Gets Same Mileage as Volt | Geekosystem

[plowjockey]

Originally Posted by sewserious

Electric cars are nothing new and the technology hasn't really improved much! This is just one example; there are several. Maybe someday folks will wake up and realize that electric cars just aren't viable or they would have been much more popular a long time ago! The car in this article is 115 years old and goes as far on a charge as a Volt! LOL! Stupid greenies.

This 115 Year Old Electric Car Gets Same Mileage as Volt | Geekosystem

Electric cars are nothing new and the technology hasn't really improved much!

LOL.

Ford Motor Company.

What a bunch of dummies.

[Bearfootfarm]

If the right were touting green technology you would see it praised here, but because the left is touting it you see it bashed here

No one bashes it as long as it's not hype and misinformation

[arabian knight]

Well sure that article hyped up some, when it came to Ford telling about Ford going electric. It was Fords Own. But lets see what others are saying

This one just a week ago was not a surprise to me at all.

It seems the RIGHT thing to do. a small pun Intended.

Ford's Tortoise Strategy Seems Right for Electric-Vehicle Race
But when it comes to all-electric vehicles, Ford is a decided tortoise. And at this point in what has proven a devilish race for some participants so far, Ford’s steady-as-she-goes strategy could prove to be a winner just as an aggressive approach has worked elsewhere.

Ford's Tortoise Strategy Seems Right for Electric-Vehicle Race - Forbes

[Danaus29]

Originally Posted by mnn2501

after all it was only 30 years ago that most cars got 10 - 12 mpg

Maybe 50 years ago but not after the oil crisis of the 70's. Major improvements were made then but today's pollution control and emissions restrictions have decreased mileage from what many cars got in the 70's.

I won't deny that most trucks and vans got 10 - 12 mpg, most still get close to that now.

[arabian knight]

Originally Posted by Danaus29

Maybe 50 years ago but not after the oil crisis of the 70's. Major improvements were made then but today's pollution control and emissions restrictions have decreased mileage from what many cars got in the 70's.

I won't deny that most trucks and vans got 10 - 12 mpg, most still get close to that now.

ya really. 50 years ago cars got HOW little in mileage? 10 to 12.
Gee then I guess my 1967 FULL sized Impala that got 17 18 is a myth then?
Or my 1965 Chevy Nova FULL sized one,,, now the Smaller Nova II either.
I got into the MID 20's~!
Gee and even my 1989 FULL SIZED GMC PU, is in the low 20's
And in the 60's many FULL SIZED cars were between 14 and 18.
THAT is NOT that far behind some of the nEW ones today.
Heck I get a Steady 30 and have gotten as high as 31 MPG on my 1994 Buick of goodness sakes. And THAT is right there with many on the market Today!
Sure My 1989 Huge Suburban only got 16 on a god day but was more into 15's But is you kept it UNDER 60 I did get 17 a few times. But we ARE talking about a car that weighed around 6,000 Pounds too.

Nobody wants the movement to Alternative ways to go away. nobody
But want we DON'T want to is FORCED into this alt fuels thingy.
The Drill Baby Drill was ONLY being said to get this country OFF the Downward spiral for the economy and get it moving Upward again.
THEN once the economy is doing good, LEWT the alternatives and NEWER technology then what we have now get invented and getting a foothold and LET THE PEOPLE decide for themselves which they want to drive as the newer technologies will have moved forward enough by that time to make the Alternative uses more attractive.

And THAT I bet is what Ford is moving Slowly Ahead on thinking that will happen, and they will be the winners in the end, because nobody rom Ford or the Government is FORCING such electric stuff on them.

Keep up the Slow trend to the lactic movement and show Government Motors and others that you are the best ones around in not forcing such things on the public,

[Danaus29]

I guess you missed the word maybe. I wasn't driving then and wasn't paying any attention to mileage. I do remember my uncles Corvette that got around 30 mpg, my aunts station wagon that got over 20 mpg, my moms Nova that got 30 mpg and her VW that got close to 50 mpg. The Ford Tempos got close to 40 and the Mustangs with the little 4 cyl got over 40.

I wouldn't mind have a electric car or a hybrid as long it was larger than a shoebox, capable of unlimited mileage on a charge and got better than 50 mpg. But for a new hybrid to get close to the same mpg as the non-hybrid version there is something wrong.

The stuff I don't like being forced into is the ethanol garbage.

And while we're on the subject, why are people being forced into buying smaller cars that get less mpg than the old full body full size older cars? I want a full frame station wagon but "oh no, we can't have that. The mpg is too poor to make that model any more!" But every single full frame full size station wagon I ever had got between 20 and 30 mpg.

[naturelover]

Is Ford is Steering to the Left?

I looked at the topic title and immediately thought you were asking about the steering wheels on Ford vehicles pulling to the left. I was going to say all of my Ford vehicles have always pulled to the right. (Honest, it's the truth, even my new (used) Ford Taurus that I got 3 months ago pulls to the right and is putting a kink in my left shoulder from keeping it bearing straight and center).

Maybe Ford has an "alignment" problem ???

I guess I should get that looked at. The steering and wheel alignment that is, not my shoulder.



.

[Shrek]

I read a couple years back that Ford was one of the first to entertain the potential use of aluminum foam in future body component designs for it savings in weight and collision energy absorbsion properties.

If I recall correctly the 2013 Mustang is to be the first production model Ford using the metalic foam.

[sammyd]

going green is not anti right.
Forcing people to go green with over bearing govt regulation is.
Most folks would applaud any effort to "go green" as long as it does not interfere with their day to day life or remove something with no decent or real replacement or require them to pony up more in taxes to prop up some less than honest scheme.

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by naturelover

I looked at the topic title and immediately thought you were asking about the steering wheels on Ford vehicles pulling to the left. I was going to say all of my Ford vehicles have always pulled to the right. (Honest, it's the truth, even my new (used) Ford Taurus that I got 3 months ago pulls to the right and is putting a kink in my left shoulder from keeping it bearing straight and center).

Maybe Ford has an "alignment" problem ???

I guess I should get that looked at. The steering and wheel alignment that is, not my shoulder.



.

I thought the same thing when I looked at the thread title. If your car is pulling to the right it doesnt have enough caster angle "spread" to overcome the highways "crown". Road crown is that hump in the center of the road to get the water to run off the sides. Its great for getting the water off the road but it also is constantly trying to get your car to run off the road too. A word to any good alignment man can remedy that problem for you. Most guys set it to factory specs which is about a half a degree more caster on the left side than the right which "usually" is about right to compensate for the road crown. If the roads you are driving on have more crown... increasing that difference in caster angle can solve your problem.

[sevenmmm]

It is the fuel prices and the reflection of their customers ability to pay. Incomes are stagnant while fuel prices continue to increase makes this a clear direction about the future of customers buying automobiles. Ford didn't receive bail-out money, so it is an internal decision.

The Volt, and similarly powered cars, will be the hot car of the future, it is all a matter of price points.

[mnn2501]

According to Bureau of Transportation Statistics in 1980 average mpg was 12.2, in 1985 it was 14.3
Were there cars that got more? yes, this is an average. There were also cars that got less -- I owned a couple.

[mnn2501]

Originally Posted by sewserious

Electric cars are nothing new and the technology hasn't really improved much!

Electric cars have not been in general production and usage. Once they have been in production and used for a generation or two they'll get better, just as your precious gas powered cars have.

[Bluesgal]

Just a question about those electric cars. Putting the range of the vehicle aside for the moment. Where is the power coming from to "recharge" these cars?

I'm not talking about a network of charging stations be set up, I'm talking about the actual electricity to charge them.

I have no problem with and applaud the use of recycled materials. What I have an issue with is being FORCED to buy a certain type of product because the government mandates it.

Let the market forces work, give me a viable alternative and I'm there.

Just for the record I've been trying to get my employer to put solar on the car shelters around the office for 3 years. We could power the entire building if there panels on the shade structures.

It's not about which side is promoting the idea, it's about viability and cost coupled with FREE CHOICE.

[SteveD(TX)]

As long as they keep selling light duty trucks capable of pulling a freight train and a beefy Mustang capable of making an old man smile when he steps on it, they can balance it out with all the greenie-weenie cars they want. I'll be a happy camper.

[Bearfootfarm]

Originally Posted by mnn2501

Electric cars have not been in general production and usage. Once they have been in production and used for a generation or two they'll get better, just as your precious gas powered cars have.

Because no one WANTS them

because the left is touting it you see it bashed here

No. it gets bashed because of comments like this from it's most ardent supporters:

your precious gas powered cars

[poppy]

Electric vehicles are not feasible transportation the vast majority of people as their main vehicle. If you live in town and don't go very far out of town, they are fine for running to the store and such. You can do the same thing with an electric golf cart for a lot less money. Most people need to haul more than 3 or 4 people occasionally in addition to larger items they buy. Until there is MAJOR improvement in battery technology, electric cars will have a very limited market.