Ford reportedly considering launching hybrid vehicles in China
By MarketWatch, Beijing, Nov 15, 2007
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story
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US auto giant Ford Motor Co.said on Thursday it was considering launching hybrid vehicles in China, the world’s second-largest automobile market. The announcement at an industry conference in the eastern Chinese city of Jiangyin came just two weeks after rival General Motors announced plans to build an alternative fuel research center in China aimed at developing “green” vehicles for China’s market.
“We are looking at the possibility of bringing hybrid vehicles into the Chinese market. We are trying to understand which models are the right ones to bring here,” said John Viera, director of Ford’s sustainable business unit. Viera also called on the Chinese government to implement policies to promote more energy-efficient vehicles. China’s auto market is now second only to the U.S., but the growing numbers of motorists have contributed to appalling air pollution in cities and a spike in energy consumption.