Tailpipe Emissions
Vehicle tailpipe emissions, as currently defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are primarily the result of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, or impurities in the fuels. Regulated tailpipe emissions include hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. These emissions contribute to smog formation and other air pollution issues, which are regulated in the U.S. by the EPA under the Clean Air Act.
United States
In the United States, Ford is completing the phase-in of the world's most comprehensive set of vehicle emissions requirements – the Tier 2 regulations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Tier 2 will be fully phased in with the 2009 model year.
The Tier 2 program began with the 2004 model year and coordinates the introduction of cleaner fuels with more stringent vehicle tailpipe emissions standards, in order to achieve near-zero emissions from cars and light trucks. These regulations significantly reduce targeted vehicle emissions, including nitrogen oxides and non-methane organic gases, to help reduce the formation of ozone and particulate matter. The Tier 2 regulations apply to all passenger cars, light trucks and medium-duty passenger vehicles.
The comprehensive Tier 2 emissions program was designed specifically to address national air-quality issues in aggregate and includes targeted improvements in vehicle fuels. Because of this comprehensive approach, the Tier 2 program is more cost-effective and flexible than the California program. We do not support the state-by-state adoption of the California's state standards.
The results from the EPA's mobile source control programs, including the Tier 2 program, are impressive. The integrated and systematic approach has enabled significant reductions in smog-forming tailpipe emissions from our vehicles. By meeting these regulations, Ford has eliminated nearly 24.5 million pounds of smog-forming emissions from our light-duty fleet over the 2004 to 2007 model years. Overall, the program is expected to result in an estimated reduction in oxides of nitrogen emissions (from all relevant mobile sources) of at least 1.2 million tons by 2010.
In 2008, we continued to improve the emissions of our truck fleet by introducing a cleaner F-150 Harley Davidson edition. By applying advanced combustion and after-treatment technology, this work truck was able to achieve emissions levels 30 percent cleaner than the EPA's final fleet average requirement and 69 percent lower than the previous model year.
For the California market, Ford is required to meet the state's stringent Low Emission Vehicle II (LEVII) emissions requirements for light-duty vehicles. Under the LEVII program, a PZEV, or Partial Zero Emission Vehicle, is associated with virtually zero vehicle emissions. Strictly speaking, PZEV vehicles are required to:
- Meet California's Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle exhaust emissions standard (SULEVII)
- Produce zero fuel system evaporative emissions
- Be emissions compliant for a full useful life of 150,000 miles
In practical terms, a PZEV operated over three weeks of average driving emits fewer smog-forming emissions than a new lawn mower operating for about 30 minutes. Put another way, grilling a quarter-pound hamburger emits more smog-forming emissions than a 60-mile commute in a PZEV.
Ford's 2008 model year PZEV products included the Ford Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Taurus X and Escape Hybrid; the Mercury Milan, Mariner Hybrid and Sable; and the Volvo S40 and V50. For the 2009 model year, we will be offering PZEV versions of the Ford Focus, Fusion and Escape, and the Mercury Milan and Mariner.
In order to focus our resources most effectively in these difficult economic times, we have decided that, going forward, we will focus on technologies like EcoBoost™ that deliver fuel-efficiency and emission benefits across our entire U.S. vehicle lineup, instead of continuing to expand the number of PZEV-compliant versions we make specially for the California market.
Information about the performance of all Ford vehicles sold in the United States can be found at the EPA's Green Vehicles site.
Europe
Since 1990, tailpipe emissions from Ford vehicles sold in Europe have been reduced by up to 90 percent via the development of improved engine technologies (specifically diesel engines) and high-tech exhaust gas treatment devices. Ford of Europe has introduced diesel particulate filter systems for an increasing number of its new vehicles, as well as for older diesel-powered Ford vehicles already in customers' hands.
Further air-quality improvements have been generated as we have introduced vehicles equipped with technology to meet the more-stringent Euro 4 and 5 emissions standard. All of our new passenger cars registered as of January 1, 2006, and all light-duty vehicles as of January 1, 2007, comply with the Euro 4 standard. We are now developing vehicles to meet the Euro 5 standard, which requires continued reductions in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from both gasoline and diesel vehicles. All cars sold in Europe must meet the Euro 5 standards by September 2009 for new or significantly redesigned vehicles and by January 2011 for all vehicles. Trucks must meet the Euro 5 standard by January 2012. Ford has already begun introducing vehicles that meet the Euro 5 standard and will increase the number of Euro 5 vehicles in 2009.
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