Detroit, Michigan – Ford Motor Company has launched an aggressive plan to bring battery-electric vehicles, next-generation hybrids and a plug-in hybrid to market quickly and more affordably during the next four years.

The plan, unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, has scheduled a new battery-electric commercial van in 2010, a battery-electric small car in 2011 that will be developed jointly with Magna International, and next-generation hybrid vehicles, including a plug-in version, by 2012.

“Ford is heading in the direction America and our customers want us to go, which is a green, high-tech and global future,” said Ford executive chairman Bill Ford. “I think that is where society would like to see the entire industry go, and Ford is going to lead that charge.”

The new vehicles will pave the way for additional applications in the future, using Ford’s high-volume global small car and midsize car platforms.

Ford already has other collaborations and partnerships in place to accelerate the commercialization of electrified vehicles, including road tests of Ford Escape Hybrid plug-ins with Southern California Edison and the Electric Power Research Institute, and a four-way “Eco-Partnership” in China to expand its global expertise with electric-powered vehicles.