Ford Motor Company's Sustainable Mobility Technologies, formerly known as TH!NK Technologies, assumed its new name at the end of 2002. As a division of Ford's Research and Advanced Engineering organization, their activity within Ford Motor has a global responsibility for Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell electric vehicle systems engineering, as well as program management, vehicle assembly and customer service of electric drive advanced production programs.
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| Ford's bread and butter continues to be their large V8 powered trucks and SUVs, and that is one point the Sierra Club and the Rainforest Action Network coalition are concerned about. (Photo: Ford Motor Company) |
But for the time being the Sierra Club and the Rainforest Action Network coalition is concerned more about what Ford is selling now with respect to its future prospects, however green, or rather, blue sky they may be. Being that the brand's top selling vehicle is a full-size pickup truck and full and midsize sport utility vehicles, mostly powered by large V8 engines, make up the majority of remaining sales, they have a point.
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| Considering Ford's current financial situation, don't expect them to dump their high-profit truck and SUV lines any time soon. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Still, no matter how much barking is going on Ford Motor's current financial challenges haven't allowed for immediate small and midsize car introductions to spur on sales in more fuel efficient segments of the market. With car sales suffering and truck sales booming, they are only responding to a market that demands big, gas guzzling vehicles, a reality that remains a key force behind the automaker's continual solvency.
In the end it's a rock and hard place for Ford. They'll continue selling high-profit trucks and SUVs while preparing for a hydrogen economy, hoped to be sometime in our not to distant future.