Ford CEO to Drive Escape Hybrid to Hearings
Last week executives from the Detroit 3 decided to drive to Washington for Congressional hearings in some of their most fuel efficient models, rather than taking their expensive corporate jets as they had done for the last round of hearings.
Ford has now announced that its CEO, Alan Mulally, will be driving to the hearings in an Escape Hybrid – a vehicle that gets 34mpg (6.9L/100km) in the city. The drive will take Mulally roughly nine hours, and a company spokesman has confirmed that the Blue Oval boss will be leaving Detroit today.
Mulally also told reporters that he would consider taking a $1 salary as a show of support for lowering executive remuneration. A similar sentiment was made by Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli last week, and both companies are hoping that symbolic gestures such as eschewing corporate jets and high salaries will help put the government and public on their side, reports Automotive News.
Ford acknowledged the public relations disaster that had ensued when the nation heard about auto executives traveling to Washington in private jets to seek government loans. A spokesman said that since Ford is an auto company, the obvious alternative was to drive to Detroit.
It is uncertain whether Mulally’s Ford Escape Hybrid will be a part of a larger convoy of fuel-efficient vehicles from the Detroit 3. If the original plans are going ahead then it seems likely that Ford’s Mulally will be joined by a number of other auto industry executives in the drive down to Washington, with GM, Chrysler, Dura Automotive and even the UAW all expected to be undertaking similar transportation.