Bush Visits Ford's Kansas Plant

President George W. Bush toured Ford MotorMulally added, "We are also developing a range of
Company's Kansas assembly plant last Wednesday.advanced technologies that improve fuel efficiency,
The plant builds the first American E85 F-150 truckssuch as clean diesel, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen internal
and SUV hybrid electric vehicles. The President touredcombustion engines, hydrogen fuel cells and advanced
the hybrid assembly line and addressed more than 300gasoline engines. These advanced technologies will
employees about the role American technology andhelp reduce green house gas emissions and lessen our
innovation will play in delivering energy security to thedependence on foreign petroleum."
country."It is an extraordinary honor for us to welcome the
Bush thanked employees for being part of the solutionPresident into our plant," said Ken Ward, the plant
to the country's energy issues by building hybrid andmanager of Kansas City Assembly. "Our employees
E85 vehicles. "Technology changes the way we havehad the opportunity to explain the hybrid production
lived our lives and technology is going to change theprocess and demonstrate their commitment to building
way we drive our cars," added Bush. "You're making athe best hybrid and E85 vehicles in the world."
new kind of automobile that is literally a part ofThe automaker earlier invested $100 million in its
changing America for the better."Kansas City plant to produce the new the conventional
Alan Mulally, the president and CEO of Ford,and hybrid Ford Escape for the 2008 model year. The
welcomed President Bush to the Kansas plant andFord Escape is the world's first hybrid SUV. Aside
thanked him for coming to see first-hand how thefrom the Ford Escape and the Mercury Mariner hybrid
automaker is delivering advanced technology vehiclesvehicles, the plant will also manufacture the first
to address climate change and energy security. "FordE85-capable F-150 pickup. The company also showed
stands ready to work with the Administration andthe president the Ford Edge which is built using the
Congress to reduce our nation's dependence onHySeries Drive. The latter is the world's first drivable
foreign oil," Mulally said. "At Kansas City Assembly, wefuel cell hybrid electric vehicle offered with plug-in
are doing some exciting things. In addition to producingcapability. The vehicle also features quality auto parts
the nation's first hybrid electric SUV, we are alsolike sophisticated engines and other refined auto
building the best-selling pickup truck in the world - theaccessories and systems that could be likened to the
Ford F-150 - capable of running on E85 ethanol,EBC Active Brakes Direct performance and
gasoline or any combination of the two fuels."aftermarket flexibility.