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Southern California Life
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Friday, September 24, 2004
Ford, Hybrid Cars, and California
Pollution Legislation
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As I scanned the news this morning,
searching for any updates regarding the California smog
legislation, I noticed an advertisement that has caught my
eye the last several days on latimes.com. A huge ad on the
right hand side of the page (to
see) markets the Ford
Escape Hybrid Car. The tagline under the logo states
"Makers of Earth's First Full Hybrid SUV".
Like I'm supposed to believe they care about earth?
Let's be real. Ford has not taken the hybrid
car movement seriously, and is far behind Toyota and
Honda in hybrid technology. In fact, Ford's so very
earth-friendly hybrid SUV is based on Toyota's technology,
utilizing the powertrain of the Prius Hybrid Car - already a
several-generation edition auto.
Some reports I've read state that Ford is only going to sell
about 15,000 of the Escape hybrids this year.
That's nothing, barely a drop in the bucket. And where is
the rest of the Big 3?
It's just plain 'ole foot dragging. Plain, old SUVs - never
mind the rollover issue - are making the industry good
money, while salvaging the years of Fat, Dumb, and Happy
times of unquestionable marketshare and stagnant U.S.
automotive innovations, unlike their Japanese counterparts.
Toyota and Honda didn't start that way, but they always
strove to be better, to make a better product, and to make
the customer experience better. In Japan, they call it,
kaizen.
Instead of American kaizen, the legal arm of the U.S. 'Big
3': Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler (Actually more German
than American) is already threatening lawsuits if the
California legislation is approved - something everyone on
both sides agrees is going to happen.
Would it really be that hard to achieve the California
requirements? Probably, but it is certainly achievable.
Essentially, California wants to reduce local smog and
global warming increasing emissions from cars and trucks by
about 30% - the averages are higher for cars and slighter
lower for bigger trucks and SUVs.
Today, hybrid car technology already achieves those marks.
Today, the Toyota
Prius hybrid achieves that mark, the soon-to-be released
Honda
Accord hybrid will also achieve those marks - even
Ford's Escape SUV hybrid will achieve those marks.
The technology is already developed, it has already been
successfully integrated into production vehicles.
So, what's the problem? Not enough money? Consumers just
don't seem to care about the future?
In fact, the first round of reductions is not required until
2009, and automakers have until 2016 to achieve the full
amount of the emission reduction requirements.
Some industry experts argue California only contributes
about 1 percent of the world's global warming, seemingly
arguing, 'What's the point?'
I think anybody who has ever been to Los Angeles knows that
is a stupid question. It's not just global warming, it's
local warming. Los Angeles is severely affected by smog,
much of that smog caused by car emissions.
Ill health has been directly linked to smog. It has been
theorized that the negative health effects, caused by smog
pollution, will shorten the lifespan of many Southern
California residents.
And yes, in terms of global warming, it might be just one
percent. But why stop in California. America as a whole must
count for 5%. Shoot, Mexico City alone probably accounts for
5%.
But, all joking aside, pollution-fighting cars are the
future.
The Internet is better informing segments of America,
especially the 18 - 34 year olds - the most important
consumer segment - and the future of the automotive
industry. They are mad, and they are not going to take it
anymore, especially when it comes to marketing.
They have been inundated with the ads that fooled their
parents. They aren't buying, and the Big 3 better wake up.
Things can be done, and significant improvements can be made
by the industry - for the better of everyone - and it won't
be that expensive. Plus, it's an investment in the future.
There can be no argument against doing this. The welfare of
the entire state, perhaps even a Nation, a planet, cannot be
so dangerously tainted for nothing other than a drive for
profit. The fact that Japan continues to lead in people
friendly, mother-earth-friendly technology, is embarrassing.
It's a plague upon America.
And I haven't even brought up foreign oil yet.
What are we waiting for?
If the Big 3 don't want to lead California, America, or even
the world into the future, others will. Ford isn't the only
automaker leasing Toyota's Prius hybrid technology, so is
Nissan, and so is the Nation of China - probably the future
of the world's auto industry.
Yet, where is America?
Pollution has become a real issue because the consequences
of pollution have become ever more obvious. If the Big 3
want to hire lawyers guaranteeing the industry the right to
bury their heads in the sand - if the people have become
that expendable - maybe it's time for America to make a new
choice.
Click here to
join the hybrid revolution.
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