Don't Crush My Ford Ranger EV

Published: 16-Jan-2005

AMENTO (AP) - Drivers of two electric-powered Ford Ranger pickup trucks have vowed to remain at a Capitol-area Ford dealer until the Ford Motor Company allows them to buy their leased vehicles rather than turn them in to be scrapped.

The California drivers said their 1999 pickups require no fuel, cost almost nothing to maintain and spare the nation from dependence on foreign oil. But Ford wants the vehicles back, they said, and plans to destroy them.

"I'm really proud of the fact that I drive a vehicle that doesn't have a tailpipe," said Heather Bernifkoff-Raboy, 34, a health care worker from Mariposa County.

Bernifkoff-Raboy, and her husband, David, 33, said they've leased the electric truck for $490 a month from Ford since 2000, using it to haul hay, rock and supplies for their 160-acre Catheys Valley Ranch.

	Bill Ford Jr Returns to TV Spot to Pitch Company Innovations Third quarter losses and fierce competition for American car and truck buyers, prompted the automaker to launch a corporate-wide campaign last month to reposition Ford Motor as a leader in innovation and cutting-edge energy policies.
	Car Buyers to Ford: Show Us The Hybrids! While Ford is having trouble getting hybrids to American buyers, in the UK, Ford cars average 20-40 mpg more than their US counterparts.
	Ford Beefing Up Its Hybrid Drive Engineering Team Ford's next hybrid will be the Fusion slated to be introduced in 2008, along with the Mercury Milan Hybrid.