Technological innovation is central to Ford's strategy to develop sustainable mobility solutions that meet current and emerging market needs, and improve the environmental performance of our products, including their impact on climate change.
We believe that demand for clean, fuel-efficient vehicles will continue to increase, driven by concerns about energy security and climate change, along with consumers' growing interest in fuel economy. In response, we are developing and implementing new products and advanced technologies to both meet market demands and help contribute to climate stabilization. (See Ford Response to the Risks and Opportunities of Climate Change for further discussion of how Ford is using technology to help address climate change.)
Improvements in Our Current Fleet
In the short term, we are working to better the fuel economy of our existing products through incremental improvements in internal-combustion technology, such as direct injection turbocharged gasoline engines and new transmission technologies. For example, the "Twin Force" Duratec, a 3.5-liter turbocharged gas engine with direct fuel injection, will deliver V-8 power and performance with better fuel economy. Powershift, a dual clutch system, will provide fuel economy comparable to a manual transmission with the driving ease and convenience of an automatic.
Several fuel-saving measures can be applied regardless of engine type, including reducing the vehicle's weight, decreasing tire rolling resistance and improving aerodynamics. We are using these approaches in current vehicles and those under development to the extent possible.
In addition, Ford's division in Europe recently announced plans to spend at least £1 billion (approximately $2 billion) developing a range of global environmental technologies in the UK for its Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo brands. This is the largest commitment ever to the environment by an automaker in the UK. This work will be focused on implementing as many new technologies on as many production vehicles as possible in order to make a significant and near-term impact on carbon dioxide emissions. Specific technologies under development include next-generation aluminum lightweight vehicles; hybrid technologies; downsized direct-injection gasoline engines; advanced diesel engines; Powershift transmission and other new transmission technologies that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and a range of technologies to encourage more fuel-efficient driving behavior, including information systems and fuel-efficient driving modes.
Meeting the Demands of High-Growth Niche Markets
For the longer term, our Sustainable Mobility Group is coordinating the development of next-generation, advanced technologies to achieve breakthrough advances in fuel efficiency, emissions reduction and energy independence in areas such as hybrids, advanced clean diesels, biofueled vehicles, hydrogen internal-combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. We are also researching the viability of plug-in hybrids, though major hurdles remain in battery technology. We believe it is important to develop a variety of different engine and fuel technologies, as different technologies will be appropriate for different regions and driver operating conditions.
More detailed information on Ford's work related to clean technologies can be found in the New Products with Better Fuel Efficiency and Advanced Clean Technologies sections.
