A panel of auto executives at the 2008 World Congress held this week predicted the U.S. could see as much as 20 percent of all vehicles powered by diesel fuel by 2020. BorgWarner CEO Tim Manganello proposed this idea, along with hybrids making up 10 percent of all vehicles, and panelists including Ford product chief Derrick Kuzak and Toyota engineering vice president Ed Mantey agreed. Manganello looked to Europe as an indicator of these future U.S. trends.
During the same speech, Manganello said turbocharged gas engines will double by 2013, as advances in the technology offers significant fuel economy improvements.
At the same time, Magna International co-CEO Don Walker said annual hybrid vehicle worldwide would reach 1.7 million units by 2013, with nearly half that, 765,000, in the U.S. That would represent a near doubling of U.S. sales, as 2007 saw nearly 340,000 sales, as per an Automotive News report.
Walker went on to indicate manufacturers need to increase the use of global platforms in order to meet costs and criteria imposed by “green” regulations. He stressed suppliers will need to be part of this picture, and be able to expand globally, with engineering and manufacturing operations close to where automakers need them.
Kuzak’s sentiments were similar, though focused on Ford ’s product development realignment with a global view under its “One Ford” plan, with the next-generation global Focus platform no doubt being one of these measures.
“We were too complex,” Kuzak said. “Our processes were too complex, accountability was unclear and we were difficult to work with all our partners.”
Toyota ’s Mantey mirrored Walker’s statements, saying constant collaboration and interaction between automaker and supplier at every development stage is crucial.
