CNBC Goes Behind the Scenes at Ford

CNBC goes behind the scenes at the Ford Motor Company to tell the inside story of its astonishing comeback just a few short years after nearly collapsing. You’ll meet the tireless and steel-nerved CEO, Alan Mulally, who bet nearly everything the company had in his quest to steer it back from the brink. More astoundingly, Ford rescued itself without a government bailout, unlike rivals General Motors and Chrysler. Today, Ford appears to be a company with a bright future, but one shadowed by a mountain of debt.

CNBC’s Phil LeBeau was granted remarkable access to the company’s inner workings, introducing viewers to an unlikely pair of engineers charged with breathing new life into a legendary but tarnished Ford nameplate, the Explorer. The program also profiles the Ford family, who unlike many other famous American business clans, have never given up their hold on the family firm.

We’ll also take you to the front lines of the brutally competitive automotive industry, the rapidly expanding car markets of South Asia. Ford’s toehold in India, where it is investing heavily, is small, but tenacious, and the blue Ford oval is becoming increasingly commonplace on the crowded and exotic streets of the world’s fastest growing auto market.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

CEO Alan Mulally

Ford CEO Alan Mulally is the auto industry’s rock star. When he took the reins in 2006, the company was on the brink of financial disaster. Mulally was challenged to get Ford back on track --- a mission he accomplished.

The Explorer
Sales of Ford’s top selling Explorer SUV fell dramatically in the early 2000s, hit first by a series of fatal rollover accidents caused by faulty tires and then a gasoline spike hike which made gas guzzlers out of fashion. Now Ford is back with a redesigned, fuel-efficient Explorer for the 21st century.

New Technology
Ford has always prided itself as a leader in automotive technology. Now, they’re developing technology that allows drivers to connect to their cell phones, digital music players and other devices by using voice commands

The Ford Family
The Ford family has owned or controlled Ford for more than a century. It’s been a rollercoaster, boom-and-bust ride.

India
India is the fastest growing car market in the world and Ford has built a new subcompact car – the Ford Figo -- specifically for Indian buyers. The company hopes it will increase domestic sales and turn India into a small car exporter.

Do You Know Your Electric Cars? New Site Sheds Light!

Have you ever wondered what the difference between a BEV and a PHEV? Or why is an HEV considered an electrified vehicle? Chances are, many of you don't know what that is. However, as electrification options are increasing for consumers, many are looking for information to understand how the new technologies work. To help provide jargon-free answers to electric vehicle questions, Ford has launched a brand new web site, www.fordvehicles.com/technology/electric/. The site offers the basic information consumers need to understand electrified vehicle and technology choices.

The site is part of Ford’s efforts to educate consumers about the range of electrified vehicles and help potential buyers determine which electrified option might best suit their specific driving habits and needs. Consumers who visit the site will be able to review videos, text and cutaway diagrams that illustrate the differences between hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure battery electric vehicles like the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Focus Electric and planned Ford plug-in vehicles.
The site does not offer opinions on which vehicle technology is better. Rather, it provides clear explanations about how gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles work to help consumers decide which vehicle could be the best option for them.

Electrification is one aspect of Ford’s overall product sustainability strategy that includes a range of fuel-efficient and alternative-fuel technologies designed to offer consumers a portfolio of vehicle choices.

“We know consumers are excited about the variety of electrified vehicles coming to market over the next two years, but we have heard many of them say they don’t truly understand the differences between these options,” said Nancy Gioia, director of global electrification for Ford. “Educating consumers on electrified vehicle options will be crucial to satisfying their needs as they decide whether to buy a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or pure battery electric car.”

The site explains the differences in each type of vehicle, and details the technology that makes them possible, including battery chemistry, charge ports and regenerative braking.

“We want our customers to be informed and educated,” said Gioia. “Most of our customers are used to traditional gasoline engines powering their cars, so this technology is new to them. This site gives them the tools to learn about our electrified vehicles with resources they are most comfortable with – text, graphical fact sheets, videos or a combination of the materials.”

The web site also provides a list of Ford vehicles available with hybrid technology today, including the Ford Fusion Hybrid, which set the standard for fuel economy in midsize sedans with 41 mpg city.

Over the next two years, Ford will deliver at least five new electrified vehicles. The Ford Transit Connect Electric small commercial van arrives in late 2010, the Ford Focus Electric will be introduced in late 2011, followed by two next-generation lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid electric vehicles and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in North America in 2012.

Electrified vehicles are one part of Ford’s broader strategy to offer a wide range of environmentally friendly, advanced technology solutions to improve fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions affordably for customers around the world.