Ford to Retrain Traditional Automotive Engineers to Develop Hybrids, Electric Cars
By Scott Doggett November 24, 2009
Ford Motor Co. announced today that it is teaming with the University of Detroit Mercy to retrain traditional automotive engineers so that they can develop advanced electric and hybrid vehicles.
Ford and UDM have collaborated to create a new graduate-level curriculum focused on key engineering skills for the development of electrified vehicles.
The UDM program will supplement Ford's internal electrical engineering training courses as the company retrains its own employees to deliver an aggressive EV product strategy, the automaker said in a statement.
The course series, which begins in January, is designed to advance the knowledge and capabilities of technological team members in the automotive and defense-ground-vehicle industries.
Ford engineers are already at work developing three distinct types of electrified vehicles - hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure battery-electric vehicles. The vehicles include: Transit Connect battery electric commercial van, due in 2010; Focus battery-electric passenger car (pictured), due in 2011; a next-generation hybrid vehicle, due in 2012; and a plug-in hybrid, due in 2012.
The UDM Advanced Electric Vehicle Program will begin with the first group comprised of current engineers from Ford and its suppliers. Approximately 125 Ford engineers will participate in the program over the next several years.
The UDM courses are supplementary to Ford's internal online training programs in battery cells and electrochemistry, power-split controls, regenerative braking, calibration and commodity planning.
UDM has created seven new courses that are directly responsive to the training needs of Ford and the entire automotive and defense-ground-vehicles industries, said Dr. Leo E. Hanifin, dean of UDM's College of Engineering & Science.
Ford, which is based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 200,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo.
The University of Detroit Mercy is Michigan's largest private Catholic University, with approximately 100 academic majors and programs. Sponsored by the Society of Jesus and the Sisters of Mercy, the university has campuses located in downtown and northwest Detroit.
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