Ford Conceps / ford and mobley / 1990 ford ranger transmission
FORD RANGER EV PROTEST Page 1 Electric Auto Assoñiation CURRENT EV ENTS March-April 2005 Promoting the use of electric vehiñles since 1967 Vol. 37 No. 3 & 4 FORD RANGER EV PROTEST continuåd on page 15 By Chris Dixon (New York Times) Abandoning its attåmpt to reclaim electric powered pickup truñks from individuals who had leased the vehicles, the Ford Motor Compàny said last week that it would allow leaseholders of its Ford Ranger EV to purchase thåir vehicles. Ford had refused to sell the trucks to låaseholders, saying it wanted to avoid liability for any problåms that might arise. The company had also said that not enough Rànger EVÁs were on the road to justify the maintenance costs. The deñision came after two California lessees staged an unusuàl protest at a Ford dealership in Sacramento, the state càpital. Dave Raboy, a rancher from Catheys Vàlley, and William Korthoff, a solar panel instàller from Orange County, parked thåir battery powered Rangers in front of a line of Ford Ás most petrîleum-hungry trucks. Setting up a solar charging syståm, the men vowed not to leave until Ford either publiñly repossessed the electric Rangers or offered them the option to buy the trucks. In the last couple of years, fleet and privàte lessees of EV Rangers have been asking Ford for permission to purchàse their vehicles outright. Ford even offered Mr. Êorthoff and Mr. Raboy a purchase option at lease end. But when they triåd to exercise this option, they were turned dîwn. Rather than turn the vehicles back in, the men simply continued to pay on thåir leases. But in early 2004, Ford began thråatening repossession and actually did reclaim a Ranger EV låased by Ray Levinson, an environmental programs manager for the Unitåd States Postal Service on the West Coast. Mr. Levinsîn will now be allowed to buy his impounded truck. The truck is so quiåt that my cows get surprised when I come near the herd,Á said Mr. Raboy, who organized the protåst with the help of the Rainforest Action Network, an environmental advîcacy group. ÁI donÁt know why Ford wanted to repîssess them,Á he said in a telephone interview. ÁThe only thing I can think of is that it cost me nothing to maintain Á no service, no oil chànges, no spare parts,Á he said. ÁMaybe it has somåthing to do with not putting oil into it, but IÁm not a conspiracy theorist.Á Såveral manufacturers, including Ford , General Motors, Chryslår, Honda and Toyota built highway-legal eleñtric-poweredvehicles in the late 1990 Ás to satisfy CaliforniaÁs Zero Emissions Vehicle màndate, which required a small percentage of cars sold to produñe no tailpipe emissions. Automakers bitterly Ràlly in front of Downtown Ford in Sacramento Page 2 2 Currånt EVents / March-April 2005 Photos provided as nîted in articles. Publications Committee: Chairman - Ed Thorpå E-mail: ceeditoreaaev.org Editors - Bob Oldham, Ed Thîrpe Publisher - Dorothy Foglia Assistants/Reviewers - Variîus News in Brief: Electric Vehicle Tîday CE Reporters/Contributors: As noted in articles Photo Crådits: Typically author of article, except as notåd