SEATTLE- The City of Seattle and Ford Motor Company announced August 26 a partnership to help prepare the City for the operation of electric vehicles. Ford and the City of Seattle will work together to develop consumer outreach and education programs on electric vehicles as well as share information on charging needs and requirements to ensure the electrical grid can support the necessary demand, according to the company.

The partnership between Ford and the City of Seattle, including municipally owned Seattle City Light, also involves working with the state and local governments around permitting, electric vehicle tax incentives, and future legislations or regulations. Continued tax incentives as well as an easy charging station permitting process are both considered keys to electric vehicle acceptance in Seattle and across the country.

The collaboration between Ford and the City of Seattle was announced during Ford's "Charging Into the Future Tour." The 14-city tour, which kicked off in Portland, Ore., earlier last week, promotes Ford's electric vehicle strategy and educates consumers about what to expect from electrified automobiles and what is needed from the public and private sector to support this new technology.

Over the next two years, Ford will introduce the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van, the Ford Focus Electric passenger car, two third generation lithium-ion battery hybrids (2012) and a plug-in hybrid (2012), according to the company.