According to Martin Zimmerman, Ford vice president for government affairs, the company is looking into expanding production of hybrid vehicles if it can reduce the costs of manufacturing them in volume.

The company has created an executive team to study global warming and consider 'a range of possible measures for reducing greenhouse gas contributions' from Ford products and manufacturing.

But Ford is not in favor of the United States ratifying the 1997 Kyoto Protocols, on the grounds that the target and timetable of Kyoto are difficult to achieve with current technology.