@ 11:54 AM (46 months, 14 days ago)
The cost of owning a hybrid vehicle becomes even more attractive in 2006. Beginning Jan. 1, buyers of the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid - the world's cleanest, most fuel-efficient SUVs - can look forward to significant tax savings. "Our hybrid owners tell us how much they enjoy their Escapes and Mariners because of the way they look, the way they drive and their fuel economy," says Christine Biondi, Escape Hybrid marketing manager. "Now with these new credits, our customers can subtract directly from the money they owe the IRS. That makes the Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid even better values because they now deliver more at the pump and in the pocket." Today's owners of an Escape or Mariner Hybrid can look forward to considerable deduction in April by being eligible for up to a $2,000 tax deduction, reducing their taxable income for an after-tax savings of up to $700. The deduction is being replaced in 2006 with a new sliding scale tax credit that can be used directly against the amount owed to the IRS. The Internal Revenue Service has not officially said how much the tax credits will be. However, Ford expects buyers of the Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid to be eligible for a credit of $2,600 for two-wheel-drive versions and $1,950 for four-wheel-drive models. Hybrid buyers are encouraged to review state or local laws to determine whether there are further tax incentives related to hybrid ownership. In addition, Congress recently approved a new law that allows states to provide owners of hybrid electric vehicles access to High Occupancy Vehicle lanes. The Ford Escape Hybrid, the world's first hybrid SUV, is entering into its third year on the market. In addition to the Escape Hybrid, Ford sells the Mercury Mariner Hybrid, while Mazda has a test fleet of Tribute hybrids on the road today. Mazda will begin selling the Tribute Hybrid in 2007. In 2008, the three SUVs will be joined by the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid. And by 2010, Ford will sell 250,000 hybrids globally and offer the option in up to half of its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury nameplates.
@ 06:27 AM (46 months, 14 days ago)
Sometimes, it's just as important to recognize a good idea and help bring it to fruition as it is to originate the concept. Such was the case a few years ago when Ford Motor Company learned of two experimental technologies at American universities - Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and 3D Printing Sand - capable of producing prototype parts without expensive tooling. With Ford's help, those processes are at the forefront of rapid prototyping technologies, helping the company dramatically slash costs, improve time to market and better handle frequent product changes. "Those two technologies combined have saved millions of dollars since their launch just six to eight months ago," said Todd Kloeb, manager of Ford's Beech Daly Technical Center. "That doesn't include other benefits, such as much faster product development time and greater knowledge of the production processes necessary to mass produce the part." Ford's role in bringing SLS and 3D Sand Printing to the auto industry was to combine the materials experimentation in the U.S. with automation technology needed to utilize the materials being developed in Europe. Ford's Office of General Council navigated the legal waters, ultimately allowing Ford a head start on the competition. "Soon, other automakers will be able to use the technology, but because Ford did the leg work, we will have at least a year's advantage," Kloeb said. "These technologies completely revolutionize how we go through the product creation process. They are critical enablers of our new Global Product Development System." Both SLS and 3D Sand Printing literally grow prototype components in small sections, or slices, from a computer-aided design (CAD) model. Creating components this way results in extremely precise parts. In the case of SLS, a laser is used to sinter, or fuse, specific sections of powdered material. Three-Dimensional Sand Printing incorporates a print head - much like that used in inkjet printers - to distribute standard foundry binding material to layers of production sand. Unlike SLS, the print heads and build chambers are fully scalable and can be made as large as necessary to accommodate bigger components. Lasers become more difficult to manage once they reach a certain size. Both technologies are capable of producing production-ready components much faster than previous methods, at a fraction of the cost. "Three to five years ago, we would spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a disposable prototype tool for a die cast part, and then wait a year to get the tooling to make the part," said Kloeb. "If we had subsequent changes to the part, that added more cost to change the tool and tacked on additional time to make each new part." Now, a prototype part can be produced within days of receiving the CAD drawing. The same goes for changes. The turnaround time is extraordinarily fast. And there are no prototype tool expenses. "These technologies can be leveraged in so many areas, such as to facilitate frequent changes," said Kloeb. "For example, every year, nearly all programs undergo changes to intake manifolds to accommodate new regulatory requirements. We can do that in a snap, now." Aircraft manufacturer Boeing already is using SLS to manufacture parts for some of the company's fighters. Kloeb says the technology could even be used on low-volume automotive products, such as the Ford GT. It becomes too expensive at higher volumes, though. According to Kloeb, Ford will launch another rapid prototyping technology in the first quarter of 2006 that will have just as much impact as SLS and 3-D Printing Sand.
