It’s still a concept that Ford consciously keeps out of reach of journalists. But as revealed by Ford chairman and CEO Bill Ford, the American carmaker is preparing the 100% recyclable car.
The codenamed “Piquette Project” was started last year, lead by a cross-departmental working party to brainstorm ideas on sustainability, economy and safety. The Ford dreamteam is said to include Nancy Gioia, the director of sustainable technology and hybrids; Gerhard Schmidt, vice president of research and advanced engineering; environmental consultant William McDonough; vice-president of research and advanced engineering Tim O’Brien; and Camilo Pardo, the designer of the GT supercar, explained The Detroit News.
Its work is independent from the standard production cycle, said to have been given a “clean sheet of paper”. Michigan-based Rouge Plant ― which received a $2 billion environmentally-friendly makeover ― should manufacture the future green cars.
Douglas Brinkley, a historian and author of “Wheels for the World,” an exhaustive history of Ford published in 2003, said to the Detroit News: “it will be very interesting to see what Bill Ford plans to do. In a sense it’s the same old story — he’ll either restore Ford or preside over its decline.”
Ford spokesman Jon Peper expects his company to show some of the first fruits of the Piquette project by 2008, the 100-year anniversary of the Model T. But less relevant, it takes usually 2 to 3 years to generate a new car model.
Living on Earth podcasted an interview set with Tim O’Brien, the Ford vice-president of engineering.
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