Ford '79 sees greener future for cars

After refusing federal bailout funds and weathering the recession, Ford Motor Co. is aiming for a greener, cleaner future, according to William Clay Ford Jr. ’79, the company’s executive chairman, who spoke at the Friend Center Feb. 15.

Ford said that during his undergraduate years, he became an environmentalist and decided he wanted to change Ford’s practices and vehicles to reflect those views. Though he faced opposition, his push for cleaner cars finally is coming true — hybrid gas-electric cars are now rolling off the assembly lines at Ford’s factories.