Last week the Ford Motor Company abandoned its pledge to make 250,000 petrol-electric hybrid cars by 2010 .

This promise lasted a “whole” 9 months, and its failure has been blamed on “greater internal candour about the level of customer demand.”

This isn’t the first time Ford has reneged on its promises to improve its environmental credentials. 5 years ago a similar promise to improve the fuel efficiency of sports utility vehicles was abandoned.

Many people in the environmental movement are angry about the move - but its important to see the broader context.

The announcement coincided with Standard & Poor further dropping the credit rating of Ford. It also occurs in the context of GM statements that its own range of hybrid vehicles are barely profitable.

What does it mean for us?

1. Recognise that industry support for hybrid cars and technologies will always reflect hard-nosed pragmatism.

2. Advocacy is important but is always going to take second place to the commercial dollar.

Everyone of us has a responsibility to make hybrid technologies viable? What do you drive now? What about your next car? Do you feel strongly enough to make it a hybrid?

What about your local area? What do the city council fleets use? Can you start action within the community to get them to adopt hybrid vehicles?

Ford’s decision is a somewhat sobering reminder of the need to keep the momentum of our movement up. We must become agents of change if we are going to achieve the fundamental culture shift needed in America.


technorati tags:, , , , , , ,