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Electricity the gas of tomorrow's cars, Ford exec says

VALKENBURG, Netherlands September 5, 2008; Bryce G. Hoffman and Scott Burgess writing for The Detroit News reported that electricity not hydrogen, gasoline or ethanol -- will fuel the cars of tomorrow, says Ford Motor Co.'s global product development chief, Derrick Kuzak.

However, Ford's car czar said the automaker will continue to develop all of these alternatives.

"The ultimate solution is the electrification of the vehicle," said Kuzak, who stressed he was speaking as an engineer and was not commenting specifically on Ford's future product plans.

He said alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cells, in addition to facing several technological hurdles, will require the construction of an entirely new energy infrastructure -- something he does not think is likely or practical. In contrast, an electric car would be able to use the existing power grid. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles use an electric only drive train that is powered by the fuel cell to generate electricity.

Erich Merkle, an auto analyst with Crowe Chizek and Co., an accounting and consulting firm, agreed with Kuzak's assessment.

"In the longer term, by the end of the next decade, electric vehicles will be well represented in the market," he said.

Speaking to reporters separately, Ford's chief marketing officer, Jim Farley, echoed Kuzak's enthusiasm for electric vehicles. "All I know is that when I talk to customers about electrification they say, 'That's cool!' " he said. "We better be prepared as an industry."

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