118 Facts About Ford Motor

1.

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States.

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2.

Ford Motor sells automobiles and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand, and luxury cars under its Lincoln luxury brand.

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3.

Ford Motor is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is controlled by the Ford family; they have minority ownership but the majority of the voting power.

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4.

Ford Motor owned the Swedish automaker Volvo from 1999 to 2010.

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5.

In 2011, Ford Motor discontinued the Mercury brand, under which it had marketed entry-level luxury cars in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Middle East since 1938.

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6.

Ford Motor went public in 1956 but the Ford family, through special Class B shares, still retain 40 percent of the voting rights.

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7.

Henry Ford Motor Company was Henry Ford Motor's first attempt at a car manufacturing company and was established on November 3,1901.

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8.

The Ford Motor Company was launched in a converted factory in 1903 with $28,000 in cash from twelve investors, most notably John and Horace Dodge.

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9.

The first president was not Ford, but local banker John S Gray, who was chosen in order to assuage investors' fears that Ford would leave the new company the way he had left its predecessor.

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10.

Between 1903 and 1908, Ford produced the Models A, B, C, F, K, N, R, and S Hundreds or a few thousand of most of these were sold per year.

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11.

In 1908, Ford Motor introduced the mass-produced Model T, which totaled millions sold over nearly 20 years.

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12.

In 1927, Ford Motor replaced the T with the Model A, the first car with safety glass in the windshield.

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13.

Ford Motor launched the first low-priced car with a V8 engine in 1932.

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14.

Henry Ford purchased the Lincoln Motor Company in 1922, in order to compete with such brands as Cadillac and Packard for the luxury segment of the automobile market.

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15.

In 1929, Ford Motor was contracted by the government of the Soviet Union to set up the Gorky Automobile Plant in Russia initially producing Ford Motor Model A and AAs thereby playing an important role in the industrialization of that country.

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16.

Ford Motor offered the Lifeguard safety package from 1956, which included such innovations as a standard deep-dish steering wheel, optional front, and, for the first time in a car, rear seatbelts, and an optional padded dash.

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17.

Ford Motor introduced child-proof door locks into its products in 1957, and, in the same year, offered the first retractable hardtop on a mass-produced six-seater car.

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18.

In late 1955, Ford Motor established the Continental division as a separate luxury car division.

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19.

Ford Motor moved to introduce a range of new vehicles, including "Crossover SUVs" built on unibody car platforms, rather than more body-on-frame chassis.

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20.

In developing the hybrid electric powertrain technologies for the Ford Motor Escape Hybrid SUV, the company licensed similar Toyota hybrid technologies in order to avoid patent infringements.

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21.

Ford Motor announced that it would team up with electricity supply company Southern California Edison to examine the future of plug-in hybrids in terms of how home and vehicle energy systems will work with the electrical grid.

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22.

Under the multimillion-dollar, multi-year project, Ford Motor is to convert a demonstration fleet of Ford Motor Escape Hybrids into plug-in hybrids, and SCE is to evaluate how the vehicles might interact with the home and the utility's electrical grid.

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23.

On June 2,2008, Ford sold its Jaguar and Land Rover operations to Tata Motors for $2.

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24.

Ford Motor went on to state that "The collapse of one of our competitors would have a severe impact on Ford" and that Ford Motor Company supported both Chrysler and General Motors in their search for government bridge loans in the face of conditions caused by the 2008 financial crisis.

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25.

On October 29,2012, Ford Motor announced the sale of its climate control components business, its last remaining automotive components operation, to Detroit Thermal Systems LLC for an undisclosed price.

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26.

On November 1,2012, Ford Motor announced that CEO Alan Mulally would stay with the company until 2014.

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27.

Ford Motor named Mark Fields, its president of operations in the Americas, as its new chief operating officer Mulally was paid a compensation of over $174 million in his previous seven years at Ford Motor since 2006.

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28.

The result would see the number of Ford Motor employees working in these areas doubling, to 24,000.

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29.

Also in 2017, Ford Motor began development of a new mixed-use urban campus in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, with its purchase, renovation, and occupation of The Factory at Michigan and Rosa Parks.

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30.

Ford Motor later began buying up other parcels of land in Corktown including a very high-profile purchase of Michigan Central Station which is planned to become the hub of their Corktown campus, and the adjacent Roosevelt Warehouse.

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31.

Ford Motor expects to move 2,500 of its employees, roughly 5 percent of its southeast Michigan workforce, to the campus with space for an additional 2,500 entrepreneurs, technology companies and partners.

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32.

Bill Ford Motor envisioned the first-floor concourse of the train station to be a public gathering place with retail outlets and restaurants.

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33.

In May 2017, Ford Motor announced cuts to its global workforce amid efforts to address the company's declining share price and to improve profits.

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34.

In March 2022, Ford Motor announced that it would restructure the company into three separate divisions.

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35.

Ford Motor Company Fund, based in Dearborn, Michigan, is the philanthropic arm of the Ford Motor Company.

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36.

In 2017, Ford Motor Fund contributed $63 million to various causes with a focus on education, driving safely and community building.

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37.

Ford Motor Driving Skills for Life program is a driver safety program aimed at teens that were developed together with the Governors Highway Safety Association and safety experts.

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38.

Ford Motor has had manufacturing operations worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and South Africa.

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39.

Development of European Ford Motor is broadly split between Dunton in Essex and Cologne in Germany.

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40.

Ford Motor produced the Thames range of commercial vehicles, although the use of this brand name was discontinued with the introduction of the Ford Motor Transit in 1965.

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41.

Ford Motor Otosan, established in the 1970s, manufactures the Transit Connect compact panel van as well as the "Jumbo" and long-wheelbase versions of the full-size Transit.

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42.

In 2008, Ford Motor acquired a majority stake in Automobile Craiova, Romania.

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43.

Third incarnation of the Ford Motor Escort was launched in 1980 and marked the company's move from rear-wheel drive saloons to front-wheel drive hatchbacks in the small family car sector.

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44.

On October 24,2012, Ford Motor announced that it would close its Genk assembly plant in eastern Belgium by the end of 2014.

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45.

In September 2018, at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hannover, Germany, Ford Motor introduced an electric tractor-trailer concept vehicle dubbed the F-Vision, which would have Level 4 autonomous driving capability.

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46.

On March 1,2022, Ford Motor announced that it was suspending its Sollers joint venture operation in Russia, in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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47.

Ford Motor formed its first passenger-vehicle joint venture in China in 2001, six years behind GM and more than a decade after VW.

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48.

Ford Motor began assembly of cars in Thailand in 1960, but withdrew from the country in 1976, and did not return until 1995 when it formed a joint venture with Mazda called Auto Alliance.

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49.

In 1967, Ford Motor partnered with the South Korean company Hyundai, and at the new factory in Ulsan, South Korea, built the European Ford Motor Cortina until 1974 when Hyundai introduced their all-new Hyundai Pony in 1975.

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50.

Ford Motor lost their Kia interest to Hyundai in 1998 during the Asian financial crisis.

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51.

On July 28,2011, Ford Motor India signed a memorandum of understanding with the State of Gujarat for the construction of an assembly and engine plant in Sanand and planned to invest approximately on a 460-acre site.

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52.

In September 2021 Ford Motor India announced plans to shut down both its assembly plants.

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53.

Ford Motor said that it intends to maintain its parts and service network.

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54.

Ford Motor established itself in Egypt in 1926 but faced an uphill battle during the 1950s due to the hostile nationalist business environment.

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55.

In 2004, Ford sold 30,000 units in the region, falling far short of General Motors' 88,852 units and Nissan Motors' 75,000 units.

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56.

Ford Motor employs over 18,000 people and operates seven assembly or other plants in the region.

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57.

In 1987, Ford Brasil and Ford Motor Argentina merged their operations with the Brazilian and Argentine operations of Volkswagen Group, forming a new joint-venture company called Autolatina with a shared model range.

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58.

Ford Motor now sells a local sedan version of the Fiesta, and the Focus.

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59.

Ford Motor decided to shut down their entire operations in Indonesia, including their dealer network by second half of 2016.

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60.

Ford Motor established a manufacturing facility in the port city of Yokohama in February 1925, where Model T vehicles were assembled using imported knock-down kits.

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61.

Ford Motor products manufactured in Europe that were sold in Japan were the Ford Motor Mondeo, Ka, Focus, Focus C-MAX, Fiesta, and the Galaxy.

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62.

In New Zealand, Ford Motor was second in market share in the first eight months of 2006 with 14.

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63.

Ford Motor had announced that their Geelong engine manufacturing plant would be shut down between 2013 and 2016.

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64.

Ford Motor Company sells a broad range of automobiles under the Ford marque worldwide, and an additional range of luxury automobiles under the Lincoln marque in the United States.

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65.

Ford Motor has sold vehicles under a number of other marques during its history.

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66.

In 1958, Ford Motor introduced the Edsel brand, but poor sales led to its discontinuation in 1960.

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67.

Ford Motor purchased Volvo Cars of Sweden in 1999, selling it to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in 2010.

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68.

Ford Motor has produced trucks since 1908, beginning with the Ford Motor Model TT, followed by the Model AA, and the Model BB.

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69.

Ford Motor had a minority share in the new company and Iveco took over sales and production of the Ford Motor Cargo range.

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70.

Ford Motor manufactured complete buses in the company's early history, but today the role of the company has changed to that of a second stage manufacturer.

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71.

In 1936, Ford Motor introduced the Ford Motor Transit Bus, a series of small transit buses with bodies built by a second party.

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72.

Ford Motor reentered the tractor market in 1939 with the Ford Motor N-series tractors.

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73.

The Ford Motor 8N, introduced in 1947, became the most popular tractor of all time in North America.

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74.

In 1986, Ford Motor expanded its tractor business when it purchased the Sperry-New Holland skid-steer loader and hay baler, hay tools and implement company from Sperry Corporation and formed Ford Motor-New Holland which bought out Versatile tractors in 1988.

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75.

Formula Ford Motor, conceived in the UK in 1966, is an entry-level type of formula racing with wingless single-seater cars.

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76.

Ford Motor was heavily involved in Formula One for many years and supplied engines to a large number of teams from 1967 until 2004.

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77.

Ford Motor entered Formula One as a constructor in 2000 under the Jaguar Racing name, after buying the Stewart Grand Prix team which had been its primary 'works' team in the series since 1997.

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78.

Jaguar achieved little success in Formula One, and after a turbulent five seasons, Ford Motor withdrew from the category after the 2004 season, selling both Jaguar Racing and Cosworth.

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79.

Ford Motor is one of three manufacturers in NASCAR's three major series: the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series.

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80.

Ford Motor is represented by the Mustang GT in the Cup Series, and the Xfinity Series and by the F-150 in the Truck Series.

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81.

The Ford Motor nameplate has won eight manufacturer's championships in Sprint Cup while Mercury has won one.

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82.

Ford Motor had last won a drivers' championship in the Cup Series with Joey Logano in 2018.

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83.

Ford Motor has a long history in rallying and has been active in the World Rally Championship since the beginning of the world championship, the 1973 season.

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84.

Ford Motor took the 1979 manufacturers' title with Hannu Mikkola, Bjorn Waldegard, and Ari Vatanen driving the Ford Motor Escort RS1800.

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85.

Since the 1999 season, Ford Motor has used various versions of the Ford Motor Focus WRC to much success.

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86.

Ford Motor is the only manufacturer to score in the points for 92 consecutive races; since the 2002 season opener Monte Carlo Rally.

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87.

Ford Motor won the 1968 International Championship for Makes with the GT40.

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88.

Swiss team Matech GT Racing, in collaboration with Ford Motor Racing, opened a new chapter with the Ford Motor GT, winning the Teams title in the 2008 FIA GT3 European Championship.

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89.

Ford Motor Mustang has arguably been Ford Motor's most successful sports car.

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90.

Ford Motor won the Trans-Am Championship again in 1970 with Parnelli Jones and George Follmer driving Boss 302 Mustangs for Bud Moore Engineering.

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91.

Ford Motor took the 1985 and 1986 IMSA GTO Championship with Mustangs driven by John Jones and Scott Pruett before returning to Trans-Am glory with a championship in 1989 with Dorsey Schroeder.

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92.

Ford Motor dominated Trans-Am in the 1990s with Tommy Kendall winning championships in 1993,1995,1996, and 1997 with Paul Gentilozzi adding yet another title in 1999.

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93.

Also, in 2008, Ford Motor won the manufacturers championship in the Koni Challenge Series and HyperSport drivers Joe Foster and Steve Maxwell won the drivers title in a Mustang GT.

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94.

Ford Motor has branched out into drifting with the introduction of the new model Mustang.

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95.

In 2005, Ford Motor announced a goal to make 250,000 hybrids a year by 2010, but by mid-2006 announced that it would not meet that goal, due to excessively high costs and the lack of sufficient supplies of the hybrid-electric batteries and drivetrain system components.

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96.

In September 2007, Ford Motor announced a partnership with Southern California Edison to examine how plug-in hybrids will work with the electrical grid.

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97.

Under the multimillion-dollar, multi-year project, Ford Motor will convert a demonstration fleet of Ford Motor Escape Hybrids into plug-in hybrids, and SCE will evaluate how the vehicles might interact with the home and the utility's electrical grid.

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98.

In March 2009, Ford Motor launched hybrid versions of the Ford Motor Fusion Hybrid and the Mercury Milan Hybrid in the United States, both as 2010 models.

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99.

Bill Ford Motor was one of the first top industry executives to make regular use of a battery electric vehicle, a Ford Motor Ranger EV, while the company contracted with the United States Postal Service to deliver electric postal vans based on the Ranger EV platform.

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100.

Ford Motor discontinued a line of electric Ranger pickup trucks and ordered them destroyed, though it reversed in January 2005, after environmentalist protest.

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101.

Ford Motor ended production and ordered all the cars repossessed and destroyed, even as many of the people leasing them begged to be able to buy the cars from Ford Motor.

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102.

Ford Motor Focus Electric is based on the next generation Focus internal combustion vehicle, converted to an all-electric propulsion system as a production electric car by Magna International, and retail sales began in the US in December 2011.

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103.

Ford Motor C-Max Energi is a plug-in hybrid released in the US in October 2012.

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104.

Ford Motor has a pending trademark application on the "Model E" name, preventing the Tesla Model 3 in using the name.

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105.

In October 2017, Ford Motor announced its Team Edison battery-electric vehicle group to lead the company's renewed efforts into the EV market, in which it currently offers only the Focus subcompact and has plans for a small 300-mile SUV by 2020.

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106.

In 2022, Ford Motor began manufacturing its E-Transit electric cargo vans at its plant in Kansas City, Missouri.

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107.

Ford Motor continues to study fuel cell-powered electric powertrains and has demonstrated hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine technologies, as well as developing the next-generation hybrid-electric systems.

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108.

Ford Motor has launched the production of hydrogen-powered shuttle buses, using hydrogen instead of gasoline in a standard internal combustion engine, for use at airports and convention centers.

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109.

At the 2006 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford Motor showcased a hydrogen fuel cell version of its Explorer SUV.

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110.

The fuel cell Explorer is one of several vehicles with green technology being featured at the L A show, including the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, PZEV emissions compliant Fusion and Focus models and a 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty outfitted with Ford's clean diesel technology.

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111.

In July 2008, Ford Motor Company announced that it would accelerate its plans to produce more fuel-efficient cars, changing both its North American manufacturing plans and its lineup of vehicles available in the United States.

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112.

Ford Motor then planned to introduce to North America six of its European small vehicles, including two versions of the Ford Motor Fiesta, by the end of 2012.

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113.

Ford Motor has challenged University teams to create a vehicle that is simple, durable, lightweight, and come equipped with a base target price of only $7,000.

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114.

In 2003, Ford Motor announced that competitive market conditions and technological and cost challenges would prevent the company from achieving this goal.

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115.

Ford Motor claimed to have eliminated nearly three million pounds of smog-forming emissions from their US cars and light trucks over the 2004 to 2006 model years.

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116.

In 2016, Ford Motor announced a ten-year renovation plan for its Dearborn campus.

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117.

The DTE Ford Motor Central Energy Plant is a 34MW combined heat-and-power plant which features a high efficiency design and LEED Gold buildings.

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118.

Between 1994 and 1999, Ford Motor was the main kit sponsor of German Bundesliga club 1.

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