Ford Motor Company today hosted President
George W. Bush at the company’s Kansas City Assembly Plant where the
President thanked employees for being part of the solution to the
country’s energy issues by building hybrid and E85 vehicles.
The President toured the hybrid assembly line
and addressed more than 300 employees about the role American technology
and innovation will play in delivering energy security to the country.
.
President tours Kansas City Assembly Plant’s
hybrid assembly line to view production of Escape Hybrid and Mariner
Hybrid. President thanks Kansas City Assembly Plant employees for
helping to deliver energy security by building hybrids and E85 vehicles.
KCAP employees hear President explain how American technology and
innovation will lead to energy security.
“Technology changes the way we have lived our
lives and technology is going to change the way we drive our cars,” said
the President. “You're making a new kind of automobile that is literally
a part of changing America for the better.”
Alan Mulally, president and CEO, Ford
Motor Company, welcomed President Bush to the plant and thanked
him for coming to see first-hand how Ford is delivering advanced
technology vehicles to address climate change and energy
security.
“Ford stands ready to work with the
Administration and Congress to reduce our nation’s dependence on
foreign oil,” Mulally said. “At Kansas City Assembly, we are
doing some exciting things.
In addition to producing the nation’s first
hybrid electric SUV, we are also building the best-selling pickup truck
in the world – the Ford F-150 – capable of running on E85 ethanol,
gasoline or any combination of the two fuels.”
“We are also developing a range of
advanced technologies that improve fuel efficiency, such as
clean diesel, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen internal combustion
engines, hydrogen fuel cells and advanced gasoline engines,"
Mulally adds. “These advanced technologies will help reduce
green house gas emissions and lessen our dependence on foreign
petroleum.”
Ford recently invested $100 million in
its Kansas City plant to produce the new, 2008 model of both the
conventional and hybrid Ford Escape. Escape was the world’s
first hybrid SUV.
In addition to the Ford Escape and Mercury
Mariner Hybrid vehicles and E85-capable F-150 pickup, Ford showed the
President the Ford Edge with HySeries Drive™ – the world’s first
drivable fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle with plug-in capability.
“It is an extraordinary honor for us to welcome
the President into our plant,” said Ken Ward, plant manager, Kansas City
Assembly. “Our employees had the opportunity to explain the hybrid
production process and demonstrate their commitment to building the best
hybrid and E85 vehicles in the world.”
