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By Go-Auto
November 12, 2008
By DAVID HASSALL
FORD Australia and GM Holden are expected to announce new green car projects in the next few months following the release this week of the government's new car plan, which includes more than doubling the Green Car Innovation Fund, to $1.3 billion,over 12 years.
Federal industry minister Kim Carr told GoAuto on Monday that both Ford and Holden had given him undertakings that
they would follow Toyota Australia, which has already been promised $35 million from the fund to build a hybrid Camry at Altona.
Mr Carr said that the government expected a significant commitment from the industry in return for the $6.2 billion commitment outlined in the plan.
"I've had undertakings from all the major companies, and from the suppliers, about a whole new approach to the industry," Senator Carr told GoAuto. "The companies have individually and collectively agreed to signifi cant new investments being made and we would expect that to be rolled out, with announcements to be made over the next few months of specifi c projects that otherwise would not have been done."
Are these specifi c green car projects? "Yes." So, more than just Camry? "Yes." Have Ford and Holden given those sorts of undertakings? "Yes. I'm expecting over the next few months
to be able to announce new projects."
GM Holden corporate affairs chief Jason Laird told GoAuto that the company had informed the government of its short-, medium and long-term plans as part of the review process, but he would not reveal the nature of its green car plans, or whether they would be locally produced or imported products.
"Stay tuned," he told us. "We've got a number of things that we're looking at, so we could have a number of announcements."
Holden has previously revealed that it is looking at a variety of developments, including ethanol, LPG, diesel, directinjection