Ford Names California Ranger EV Dealers

24 September 1997

    LOS ANGELES, Sept. 24 -- Ford Motor Company today
announced that 1O California dealerships will become the first in the country
authorized to sell the 1998 Ford Ranger Electric Vehicle (EV).
    The dealers are located throughout the state and include: Bob Wondries
Ford in Alhambra; Lithla Sun Valley Ford in Concord; Downtown Family Ford in
Los Angeles; Villa Ford in Orange; Fritts Ford in Riverside; Senator Ford in
Sacramento; Pearson Ford in San Diego; S&C Ford in San Francisco; Mission
Valley Ford in San Jose; and Hansel Ford in Santa Rosa.
    "We are offering California and the rest of the country what we think is
the best electric pickup truck available today -- the 1998 Ranger EV," said
Beryl Stajich, Ford's fleet and AFV brand team manager.  "These dealers are
selling the Ranger EV not only because they are highly motivated to help Ford
develop the electric vehicle market, but they also have a proven commitment
to quality and customer service."
    The 1998 Ford Ranger EV is on sale now and deliveries from the dealerships
will begin early next year.  "We plan on targeting primarily fleet customers,
but retail customers can also purchase a Ranger EV," stressed Stajich.
    "Best-in-Class" safety and convenience features such as an on-board
conductive charger, regenerative braking, anti-lock braking system and
emergency power-off are all standard on the 1998 Ranger EV.  "This
state-of-the-art vehicle incorporates proven advanced technology developed at
our world class facilities and has been rigorously tested to guarantee it is
'Built Ford Tough,'" said John Wallace, director of Ford's alternative fuel
vehicle programs.
    Powered by lead-acid batteries, the Ranger EV will have a "real-world"
driving range of approximately 50 miles between charges and accelerates from
0-60 in 12.5 seconds, similar to the gasoline powered Ranger.
    Among the advantages of electric vehicles are zero tailpipe emissions,
reduced maintenance and improved energy efficiency over the gasoline engine.
"We want people to take a second look and consider the Ford Ranger EV as a
fun-to-drive pickup truck which has the quality, reliability and durability
they have come to expect from Ford," added Wallace.
    Ford has the broadest variety of alternative fuel vehicles of any
automaker.  In 1998, Ford offers a total of 11 vehicles that run on either
ethanol, methanol, propane, natural gas or electricity.  In the 1997 model
year, Ford sold 95 percent of all alternative fuel vehicles in the United
States.
    For more information on the Ranger EV or any of Ford's alternative fuel
lineup, call 800-ALT-FUEL.

SOURCE  Ford Motor Company