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Our Approach

To meet our climate change commitments, we are focused in the near term on implementing the most cost-effective fuel-efficiency technologies across a large volume of our vehicles, as well as on introducing new products that offer improved fuel efficiency without compromising style or performance. We are concentrating on affordable and near-term sustainable technology solutions that can be used not for hundreds or thousands of cars – but for millions of cars, because that is how Ford can truly make a difference.

For example, we are introducing a wide variety of new engine and transmission technologies, as well as electrical system improvements, weight reductions and aerodynamic improvements that will deliver significant fuel-economy benefits for millions of drivers in the near term. Between 2008 and 2013, we will introduce 60 new or significantly upgraded engines, transmissions and transaxles globally to help us improve fuel economy and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across our global fleet.

We are continuing to implement the EcoBoost™ engine, a key technology in our fuel-efficiency strategy, which uses gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology. EcoBoost delivers 10 to 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions and superior driving performance compared to larger-displacement engines. Because EcoBoost is affordable and can be applied to existing gasoline engines, we can implement it across our vehicle fleet, bringing fuel-efficiency benefits to a wide range of our customers. We are on track to equip as much as 80 percent of our global lineup and 90 percent of our North American lineup with EcoBoost engines by 2013. That’s about 1.5 million engines. For more information on the EcoBoost and our other near-, mid- and long-term fuel economy improvement technologies, please see our Sustainable Technologies and Alternative Fuels Plan.

Results

In the U.S., we continue to improve the fuel economy of our new and refreshed vehicles. For example, the Ford Focus, Fusion and Mustang and Lincoln MKZ car vehicle lines, as well as the Ford F-series, Escape and Edge truck and crossover lines, all improved their fuel economy from the 2010 to the 2011 model years. As seen in the graphic below, Ford’s 2011 model year U.S. vehicles rank better than the industry fuel economy average in six of 13 categories, worse in one and the same in six.

For the 2010 model year, our fleet CO2 emissions increased slightly by about 1 percent relative to the 2009 model year, but improved 11 percent compared to the 2006 model year. Preliminary data for the 2011 model year project that the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) values for the car and truck fleets will be about the same as the car and truck fleet averages for the 2010 model year. On an overall fleet basis, preliminary estimates indicate a 2011 CAFE improvement of 2.9 percent compared to 2010.

The reason the overall fleet average can improve while the individually calculated car and truck fleet averages remain about the same is that there have been changes to the vehicles included in the car and truck categories. New 2011 model year fleet changes include small, front-wheel-drive SUVs moving to the car fleet and medium-duty passenger vehicles being added to the light-duty truck fleet. For the car fleet, the movement of the front-wheel-drive Escape, Mariner, Edge and MKX to the car fleet largely offsets the car fleet improvements that would otherwise be seen due to the introduction of the Fiesta. For the light-duty truck fleet, the movement of the front-wheel-drive Escape, Mariner, Edge and MKX to the car fleet largely offsets the truck fleet improvements that would be seen due to increased fuel efficiency of the new F-150 and Explorer. So although our overall fleet fuel economy continues an improving trend, moving the more fuel-efficient crossover vehicles from the truck to the car category reduces the average fuel efficiency of both categories.

In Europe, we have reduced the average CO2 emissions of 2010 model year vehicles by 8.1 percent compared to the 2006 model year.1 We have achieved this through the introduction of a variety of innovations, such as advanced common rail diesel engines available across the European model range – including the ECOnetic range of low-CO2 vehicles – and the use of lightweight materials.

Fuel Economy of U.S. Ford Vehicles by Segment

Miles per gallon

  Industry Ford
Minimum Average Maximum Minimum Average Maximum
Total 10 21 99 11 21 39
Compact Cars 14 25 42 28 29 29
Large Cars 14 19 28 19 20 22
Midsize Cars 13 24 99 19 25 39
Midsize Station Wagons 19 21 22 - - -
Minicompact Cars 13 22 32 - - -
Small Pick-up Trucks 2WD 16 19 24 17 20 24
Small Pick-up Trucks 4WD 15 18 20 16 17 17
Small Station Wagons 14 25 53 - - -
Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD 23 23 23 23 23 23
Special Purpose Vehicle, minivan 2WD 20 21 22 - - -
Special Purpose Vehicle, minivan 4WD 18 18 18 - - -
Special Purpose Vehicle, SUV 2WD 12 21 32 15 21 32
Special Purpose Vehicle, SUV 4WD 12 19 29 15 20 29
Standard Pick-up Trucks 2WD 14 17 21 14 17 19
Standard Pick-up Trucks 4WD 12 16 21 12 16 18
Subcompact Cars 13 22 33 17 25 33
Two Seaters 10 20 37 - - -
Vans, Cargo Types 12 14 17 12 14 15
Vans, Passenger Type 11 13 14 11 13 14

As of May 2011, many of our vehicles meet the commitment to be best in class or among the leaders in their segment for fuel economy. For example:2

  • The 2011 Ford Edge has unsurpassed highway fuel economy among midsize crossover vehicles with V6 engines, with an EPA-estimated 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. The 2011 Edge also has unsurpassed horsepower in its segment.
  • The 2011 Lincoln MKX has best-in-class fuel economy among luxury midsize crossover vehicles, with an EPA-estimated 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.
  • The 2011 Ford Explorer has best-in-class fuel economy in the large utility segment, with an EPA-estimated 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, 25 percent better than the previous Explorer model. The Explorer with the 2.0L, I-4 EcoBoost™ engine, which will be available later in 2011, improves fuel economy by 30 percent over the previous model.
  • The 2011 Ford F-150 delivers best-in-class fuel economy among full-size pickup trucks, with its 3.7L V6 4X2 option. The F-150 with a 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine has unsurpassed fuel economy with 16 mpg city, 22 mpg highway; the 3.7L V6 has unsurpassed fuel economy with an EPA-rated 23 mpg highway; and the 5.0L V8 has unsurpassed fuel economy with an EPA-rated 21 mpg highway. The 2011 F-150 also has best-in-class torque and towing and maximum payload.3
  • The Ford C-MAX with the 1.6L I-4 EcoBoost engine, which will be introduced in North America in the near future, is projected to have best-in-class fuel economy in the seven-passenger C-car segment.
  • The 2012 Ford Focus SE with the SFE package is among the leaders in its segment for fuel economy, with an EPA-estimated 40 mpg highway, a 15 percent improvement over the previous model.
  • In India, the 2010 Ford Figo with the 1.4L TDCi engine has best-in-class fuel economy for its segment at 20 km/L. Also, the Ford Endeavour 4X2 automatic with Duratorq® engine is among the leaders for fuel economy in the premium SUV segment, at 10.7 km/L.
  • The 2011 Ford Fiesta SE with the SFE package, which was introduced in North America in 2010, delivers best-in-class fuel economy for its segment with an EPA-estimated 40 mpg on the highway, topping both the Honda Fit and the Toyota Yaris. The Fiesta uses the combination of a Ti-VCT 1.6L engine, PowerShift dual-clutch transmission and other fuel-economy technologies to accomplish this best-in-class performance.
  • The 2011 Ford Mustang coupe with a new Ti-VCT 3.7L V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission gets an EPA-estimated 31 mpg on the highway. This vehicle delivers superior performance – including 305 horsepower – and better fuel economy than any other V6-powered sports coupe in the world.
  • The 2011 Mustang GT, featuring a new 5.0L V8, delivers up to 26 mpg on the highway – better than any competitor – as well as 412 total horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque.
  • The 2011 Ford Super Duty® truck with a 6.7L Power Stroke® V8 turbocharged diesel leads its class in fuel economy, towing and hauling. This engine also has significantly lower tailpipe emissions than previous models.4
  • The 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid leads its segment with an EPA-estimated 34 mpg city.
  • The 2011 Ford Ranger with an I-4 engine and manual transmission leads its segment with an EPA-rated 27 mpg highway.
  • The 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid has best-in-class fuel economy for midsize sedans, with an EPA-estimated 41 mpg city and 34 mpg highway.5
  • The 2011 Ford Fiesta ECOnetic with 1.6L Duratorq TDCi diesel engine is one of the most fuel-efficient five-seat family cars in Europe, and it emits only 98 g/km of CO2.
  • The new Ford Mondeo ECOnetic features a specially calibrated 115 PS (85 kW) version of the 1.6L Duratorq TDCi engine equipped with a standard diesel particulate filter. Due to a combination of changes compared to the standard Mondeo, the second-generation Mondeo ECOnetic is delivering a combined fuel consumption of just 4.3 L/100km (65.6 mpg UK),6 which translates into average CO2 emissions of 114 g/km – an important tax break point in some European markets.
  • The new Ford Focus ECOnetic, which will be launched in Europe in 2012, is expected to use less than 3.5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (equal to 80 mpg UK)6 and have CO2 emissions below 95 g/km – better than all compact cars currently on the market in Europe.

Some examples of our vehicles by region are below.

North America

In North America, we continued to introduce new vehicles that use the technologies identified in our technology blueprint and offer outstanding fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions. For example, during 2010 and early 2011, we:

  • Continued to introduce new vehicles with best-in-class fuel economy, including the 2011 Ford Edge, Explorer and F-150 and the Lincoln MKX, all of which have unsurpassed fuel economy in their respective segments.7 Please see best-in-class list above for more vehicles with outstanding fuel economy.
  • Introduced the Ford Fiesta, our global compact car, which uses the PowerShift dual-clutch transmission and other fuel-economy technologies to accomplish best-in-class fuel economy.7
  • Began production of the Transit Connect Electric, the first of five electrified vehicles planned for North America by 2012. Ford is electrifying platforms – versus single vehicles – to offer customers the most choice. Three vehicles will be introduced based on the Ford Focus C-car platform: the Focus Electric, the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and C-MAX Hybrid, followed by another next-generation hybrid sedan. (See the electrification case study for details.)
  • Continued to expand the use of our EcoBoost engines, which significantly improve the fuel economy of gasoline engines. We will equip as much as 90 percent of our North American lineup with EcoBoost engines by 2013.

Europe

Ford already offers one of the broadest low-CO2 vehicle portfolios in Europe. In 2008, we began launching our ECOnetic line of vehicles. These ultra-low-CO2 versions of select Ford diesel vehicles leverage several advanced fuel-saving technologies. The ECOnetic name was chosen because it links ecologically sensitive technology to our “energy in motion” design philosophy, which combines driving quality and emotional styling. Our ECOnetic cars use a combination of the latest common-rail diesel powertrains and other carefully selected features engineered to reduce CO2 emissions to a minimum. These include: high-strength steels and other lightweight materials; electric power-assisted steering; an aerodynamics kit, including lowered ride height and aerodynamic details such as wheel covers and wheel deflectors; low-rolling-resistance tires; and our Auto Start/Stop and Active Grill Shutter.

With the new generations of the Ford Mondeo ECOnetic in 2011 and the new Ford Focus ECOnetic in 2012, we will extend the availability of best-in-class or among-best-in-class, extremely low-CO2 vehicles, which now include the following:

  • The Ford Fiesta 1.6L 95 PS TDCi, available since January 2009, with a fuel economy of 3.7l/100km (63.6 mpg (UK))6, emitting only 98 g/km of CO2.
  • The new Ford Focus ECOnetic, which debuted at the Amsterdam Motorshow in April 2011 and will be launched in 2012, is expected to use less than 3.5 liters of fuel per 100km (equal to 80 mpg UK) and CO2 emissions below 95 g/km – better than all compact cars currently on the market in Europe.
  • The new Mondeo ECOnetic with a specially calibrated 115 PS (85 kW) version of the 1.6L Ford Duratorq TDCi engine equipped with a standard cDPF. Due to a combination of changes compared to the standard Mondeo, the second-generation Mondeo ECOnetic is delivering a combined fuel consumption of just 4.3 l/100km (65.6 mpg UK), which translates into average CO2 emissions of 114 g/km – an important tax break point in some European markets.

The following table highlights the fuel economy and CO2 improvements of the ECOnetic models introduced thus far.

Model Fuel Economy8 L/100km CO2 Emissions
2012 Ford Focus ECOnetic, with 1.6L Duratorq TDCi diesel engine <3.5 <95 g/km
2011 Ford Mondeo ECOnetic, with 1.6L Duratorq TDCi diesel engine 4.3 114 kg/km
2011 Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, with 1.6L Duratorq TDCi diesel engine 3.7 98 kg/km

After the successful introduction of the new EcoBoost gasoline engine family in the U.S., Ford launched 2.0L and 1.6L EcoBoost engines in Europe in 2010. These turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engines will deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy and fewer CO2 emissions compared to conventional gasoline engines.

In addition, our global electric vehicle plan is extending to Europe with five full electric or hybrid vehicles. Specifically, Ford will launch two zero-emission full battery electric vehicles, including the Transit Connect Electric light commercial vehicle in 2011 followed by the Ford Focus Electric in 2012. The Ford C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid will launch in 2013, together with another hybrid model.

Ford of Europe’s innovative Product Sustainability Index (PSI) shows how the vision of sustainability can be made operational. By combining comprehensive sustainability criteria into the earliest stages of the product development process, Ford’s PSI provides a groundbreaking design-for-sustainability tool. Designers can use it to assess the lifecycle CO2 emissions of a vehicle, and consumers can use it to understand a vehicle’s footprint.

Asia Pacific and Africa

In our Asia Pacific and Africa region, we are focusing our near-term fuel-efficiency efforts on the systematic implementation of advanced diesel and EcoBoost engines, as well as advanced transmission technology. In China we currently offer the Ford Mondeo with an EcoBoost engine and PowerShift transmission. This product is best in its segment for fuel economy in the China market. We have also launched the Ford Fiesta with a Ti-VCT engine and six-speed automatic transmission across most of our Asia Pacific and Africa markets, making it among the leaders in its segment for fuel economy.

In India, we introduced the Ford Figo in March 2010, which has two engine options: a best-in-class, fuel-efficient 1.4L TDCi diesel and a very competitive 1.2L gasoline engine. The Figo introduction is highly significant to our success in India, as our studies show fuel economy to be the most important criteria in purchase consideration in that country.

In Australia, we will launch an EcoBoost version of the Ford Mondeo in 2011 and of the Ford Falcon in early 2012. Also in Australia, Ford’s next-generation EcoLPi liquid-injection LPG system for the Falcon will go on sale in mid-2011, providing customers with the most advanced LPG technology on the market.

South America

In South America, we are improving fuel economy by introducing some of the efficient engine and transmission technologies currently used in North America, and by using technologies specifically relevant to the widespread use of biofuels in Brazil. For example, we have implemented improved engine compression ratios – or the ratio in which the air and fuel mixture is compressed in the engine combustion chamber – on flexible-fuel vehicles in Brazil. This optimizes fuel efficiency in vehicles using biofuels, which have a higher octane rating than petroleum-based gasoline. We have also improved the gearing ratios, aerodynamics and rolling resistance of our South American models, further increasing fuel economy. We introduced a new, more-efficient “Sigma” engine on the 2010 South American Focus, which also will be extended to other vehicles. This engine will improve efficiency compared to current engines through reduced internal friction and improved electronic throttle controls. For the 2012 model year and beyond, we are planning to introduce even more fuel-efficient twin independent variable cam timing engines and direct-injection engines, Battery Management Systems, smart alternator systems, dual-clutch automatic transmissions and improved aerodynamics.

  1. These data do not include Volvo.
  2. The vehicles listed here are best in class for fuel economy based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) segments, unless otherwise noted. Alternative segments are used where EPA segments do not provide a detailed breakdown of vehicle types. For example, the EPA only uses one category for SUVs, and it includes crossovers, compact SUVs and large SUVs.
  3. F-150 fuel efficiency is compared to other high-volume pickup trucks, not including low-volume special fuel-economy models.
  4. Based on a Ford drive-cycle test of comparably equipped 2011 Ford and 2010/11 competitive models. The class is Full-Size Pickups over 8,500 lbs. gross vehicle weight rating.
  5. Midsize sedan segment based on the R.L. Polk segment definition.
  6. This fuel economy number was calculated according to the European Fuel Economy Directive EU 93/116/EEC, which uses European drive cycles. They differ from fuel economy calculations developed in the U.S. or other regions of the world. The fuel economy figures in mpg are based on the UK imperial gallon, which is 1.2 times the U.S. gallon.
  7. Based on adjusted city/highway fuel economy label values from the 2011 MY EPA Fuel Economy Guide.
  8. These fuel economy numbers are calculated according to the European Fuel Economy Directive EU 93/116/EEC, which uses European drive cycles. They differ from fuel economy calculations developed in the U.S. or other regions of the world.