Ford Abandons Electric Hybrid Explorer

It must have been a severe blow to Ford CEO William Clay Ford, Jr. who has been pushing his company toward more environmentally friendly vehicles for several years. Nevertheless, Ford announced yesterday that its program to build a fuel efficient Explorer SUV using a gasoline- electric hybrid power plant has failed. The good news is that Ford engineers seemed to acknowledge that the concept works and it is possible to build a fuel-efficient gasoline-electric hybrid. For now, however, the technology is best left to smaller vehicles.

Ford cited problems finding money to fund the program and while Ford didn't mention it, it's difficult to find support for projects such as this when gasoline prices are at their lowest point in more than two years. Bill, Jr. told business leaders in Kansas City earlier this week that his company would remain committed to building a hybrid Escape in 2003 and a Focus model fueled by a fuel cell in 2004.