Press Release

Ford's New Alternative Fuel Vehicle Office

09/18/96

Ford Forms New Office to Develop Alternative Fuel Vehicles


DEARBORN, Sept., 16 -- Ford Motor Company , the
automotive leader in alternative fuel vehicles, continued its push for
growth in this industry today with the formation of a co-located,
dedicated team to direct the company's global alternative fuel vehicle
programs.

This alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) initiative -- which includes
programs for methanol, ethanol, propane, natural gas and electric
vehicles -- consolidates the company's global AFV and electric vehicle
efforts into a single operation headed by John Wallace, formerly
Ford's director of electric vehicle programs.

"Ford has been in the alternative fuel vehicle business for more than
30 years," said Wallace, Ford's director, Alternative Fuel
Vehicles. "This new, single-focused organization is going to allow us
to use that strong history combined with the principles of Ford 2000
to lead the way into the global AFV markets of the next century."

Members of Ford's new AFV team are being housed primarily in two
buildings located in a Dearborn, Michigan office park near the
company's world headquarters. In addition to a fully operational
on-site garage, the buildings contain electronics and powertrain
development labs, two vehicle dynamometers, a high power electronics
lab and a battery test lab.

"The co-location of the new organization will allow us to capitalize
on the natural synergy between electric and other alternative fuels,
share best practices in a timely manner and focus Ford's resources on
meeting the needs of our AFV customers," Wallace said. "By having
almost everyone involved co- located and operating from the same
product plan, we also can start to chip away at one of the largest
inhibitors to AFV adoption -- high vehicle cost."

Ford offers the broadest variety of alternative fuel vehicles of any
auto manufacturer. The company currently offers vehicles which operate
on methanol, ethanol, compressed natural gas, propane and electricity
throughout the United States and Canada. In addition, its operations
in countries such as Brazil, Australia and Germany also are producing
alternative fuel vehicles. 

"Being competitive in the global market today means giving customers
options on everything, including fuel type," Wallace said. "And with
markets such as China and Venezuela looking at alternative fuel
vehicle options, it's time for the entire auto industry to realize
that these vehicles represent a significant part of the future of the
automobile."