Ford Showcasing Hybrids at 2009 SAE World Congress

Ford will certainly be in the limelight at the 2009 SAE World Congress, as focus will be centered on the EcoBoost engine technology, the hybrid system that led the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid to best-in- class 41 highway mpg and Ford’s aggressive electrification plan. This year’s conference theme: “Racing to Green Mobility.”

Ford engineers, researchers and academia will present more than 70 papers during the conference. Ford also is offering up the expertise of Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, chief technical officer and vice president of Ford Research and Advanced Engineering; and Sherif Marakby, chief engineer, Ford Global Hybrid Engineering; for interactive discussions on powertrain technology solutions.

Ford’s Marakby will speak to trends in consumer hybrid purchase considerations during the “Making Green Cool While Staying in the Black” panel discussion on April 21. Ford’s innovative SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster will be illustrated as a perfect example of cool-factor hybrid technology.

“What we are discovering is that the notion of a hybrid and its outstanding fuel economy is what may draw the consumer to the showroom, but it’s the cool factor – the HMI displays, the next-generation navigation system, Ford SYNC functionality – that is a significant dynamic in the customer purchase decision,” said Marakby.

(Source) Press