ANAHEIM, Calif. Dec. 3, 2007 – Ford Motor Company has been awarded the “Clean Vehicle Award” for the second time from the International Energy Agency (IEA) Implementing Agreement on Hybrid & Electric Vehicles for the company’s achievement in obtaining high energy efficiency and lower energy consumption in the transport sector. Ford accepted the award at the 2007 Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS23) in Anaheim.
Out of three possible categories, Ford was recognized for achieving sales of more than 50,000 hybrid models worldwide as part of the organization’s award given to manufacturers with outstanding sales figures – surpassing thresholds of 25,000; 50,000; 100,000 and more than 250,000 clean vehicles sold.
“Our hybrid program has been an unqualified success and we believe hybrids are important to America's future,” said Greg Frenette, chief engineer, Fuel Cell Production Program, Ford Motor Company. “From a technological perspective, our Escape Hybrid was the first hybrid from an American automaker and the first SUV hybrid on the market. It also remains the most fuel-efficient SUV in the world.”
Two additional award categories include “The Best Practice Award” which is given to the organizers of an outstanding promotion project and the “Personal Award” which is given to an individual who has dedicated his or her work to the development or promotion of clean vehicles in an outstanding way.
In 2006, the Implementing Agreement on Hybrid & Electric Vehicles recognized Ford for passing the 25,000 milestone in clean vehicle sales.
The IEA launched the Implementing Agreement on Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in 1993 with the intent to produce and disseminate balanced, objective information about advanced vehicle technologies including electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. It has a working group of governments and research organizations from eleven countries. Task forces are formed to investigate topics in depth, such as hybrid vehicles, advance electro-chemical storage systems, and market deployment strategies of clean vehicles.
According to IEA, “Ford Motor Company played an important role as a clean vehicle innovator in the early 1990s. By developing and marketing the hybrid Escape, Ford has been a pioneer among U.S. manufacturers to introduce a sports utility vehicle to the marketplace, and this has rewarded the company with well-earned market success.”
