Ford is open to considering a green tie-up after Renault-Nissan and Daimler announced a partnership to develop greener cars last week, it has been revealed.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters news agency, Executive Chairman, Bill Ford Jnr, said the carmaker was cautiously open to the idea of making a similar deal.
He told the news agency at the sidelines of Fortune Brainstorm Green conference: "We are always open to it but I think we will be careful before we jump,” adding “You always go into the joint venture with the premise that you will save money and save manpower, and our experience often has been that it does neither."
The agency speculate on Ford’s reason for caution; believing that the recent sale of Volvo to China’s Geely for $1.8 billion may have something to do with it. The carmaker made a huge loss on the sale having paid nearly $6.5 billion for the Volvo back in 1999.
Ford is still engaged heavily in developing electric vehicles but according to Reuters, its Executive Chairman is not yet convinced that battery-powered vehicles will be the dominant response to tougher fuel efficiency and emission standards.
"It’s too early to declare the winners and losers," he told reporters. "Certainly, we are betting heavily on electrics."
Adding: "I am really energized by the fact that we are really at the dawn on a new age in the auto industry."
Read the full article on Reuters.com
The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler announced last week they would exchange company stakes and collaborate to share development costs and technologies in producing new alternative fuel cars and fuel efficient fossil-fuelled cars (see story).
