by Alissa Priddle
USA TODAY
March 29, 2012
If you have any doubts about the future of the auto industry, take a look at how Ford is dividing up its real estate and engineering staff when it comes to newfangled fuel-saving engines.
Its converting more space in its engineering facilities to accommodate the growing team working on electric vehicles and other fuel-saving engines and technologies. Staffing on the team has doubled in five years.
A 285,000-square-foot section of the Advanced Engineering Center in Dearborn, Mich., is being converted for use by more than 1,000 engineers now working on hybrids and electrified vehicles as part of Ford’s sustainable mobility technologies team, the company said Wednesday…
“Ford remains absolutely committed to providing a wide range of choices of top fuel economy solutions for our customers — from EcoBoost-powered gasoline vehicles and hybrids to plug-in hybrids and full electrics,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas.
“To meet growing demand for our fuel-efficient vehicles, we are continuing to invest in new jobs in the U.S. and converting our facilities for further advancements,” Fields said.
The new jobs are part of Ford’s plans to add more than 12,000 hourly and salaried jobs by 2015 in the U.S.