Taking Green to Manufacturing

When it comes to reducing the impact of climate change, Ford has taken steps to improve our efficiency on the road by creating a lineup of alternative fuel vehicles. But we've also taken steps to improve our efficiency at home, by making our manufacturing facilities greener than ever.

Thinking Environment with EcoBoost® Technology

At Ford, we build for the future by seeing value in the past -- finding ways to reuse and recycle used materials. We take pop bottles, break them down and spin them into fabric we use in our seats. We also look for environmentally conscious solutions to make our vehicles lighter and more efficient and create groundbreaking engine technology, such as EcoBoost.® It gives you all the power you need for the job but with the efficiency of a smaller engine.

SYNC and MyFord Touch Sold on 79 Percent of New Ford Vehicles, New Technology Drives Quality Satisfaction

• SYNC^® and MyFord Touch^® sold on nearly 80 percent of 2013 Ford vehicles, double the sales mix of infotainment systems sold with Toyota and Honda vehicles, and up from 68 percent in 2012; MyFord Touch mix of 55 percent increased from 12 percent in 2012

• Customers with vehicles equipped with MyFord Touch have a higher rate of satisfaction with overall vehicle quality for most models compared to those that do not have the advanced infotainment system

• Ford customers cite voice command and touch screen features as top purchase drivers much more often than competitors; Ford Escape owners prioritize them twice as much as the segment average

• Ford improves MyFord Touch quality by more than 50 percent since launch, plans another upgrade in summer 2013

DEARBORN, Mich., June 17, 2013 – Ford SYNC^® voice-controlled connectivity and MyFord Touch^® touch screen technologies are attracting more customers and selling at a much higher rate than competitors, as MyFord Touch helps drive higher customer satisfaction with vehicle quality.

 

Combined, SYNC and MyFord Touch are sold on 79 percent of new 2013 Ford vehicles, double the rate of Toyota and Honda vehicle infotainment systems and up from 68 percent in 2012. This includes a MyFord Touch mix of 55 percent from 12 percent in 2012.

 

SYNC and MyFord Touch connectivity technologies – launched in 2007 and 2010, respectively – remain a competitive advantage as customers cite voice control and touch screens as top purchase drivers much more often than competitors. For example, 53 percent of 2013 Ford Escape owners say the touch screen is a top purchase reason compared to a 22 percent segment average.

 

“Ford has launched 60 new technologies the past few years and they are helping attract many new customers in important markets such as the coasts,” says Raj Nair, group vice president, global product development. “SYNC and MyFord Touch are key parts of our innovation strategy, and not only bring more new customers to our brand, but help deliver higher satisfaction with overall vehicle quality.”

 

Ford vehicles with MyFord Touch are helping improve perceptions as customers who own vehicles with the system are more satisfied with overall vehicle quality compared to those who don’t have the technology. The Ford F-150 with MyFord Touch has the highest rate of quality satisfaction across the Ford lineup, at 86 percent.

 

F-150 blends touch screen capability with traditional buttons and knobs, a similar balance planned for future Ford vehicles.

 

Young buyer connections

The innovations also are attracting younger buyers. For example, the new 2014 Ford Fiesta will now offer MyFord Touch, adding to other features such as a navigation system, rear camera, leather seats and a sunroof not available in the segment.

 

Fiesta already is drawing a younger audience of 46 percent Gen Y and Gen X buyers, compared to Toyota and Scion’s 36 percent subcompact average. Fiesta innovations are differentiating the car as SYNC is cited as an important purchase reason by 54 percent of buyers compared to a 37 percent average for Toyota’s connectivity technology.

 

Quality progress

Ford continues to refine SYNC and MyFord Touch, including another downloadable upgrade planned for this summer. Previous upgrades already have helped improve quality responses by more than 50 percent.

 

“We are committed to listening to our customers and improving MyFord Touch to keep drawing in new customers and increasing satisfaction with even higher quality,” says Nair.

 

Ford’s dealership personnel and dedicated connectivity customer service line also have become competitive advantages in an era of new automotive technologies. Customers who seek dealership assistance with SYNC or MyFord Touch report a 91 percent satisfaction rate.

Ford F-150 Chosen as Best Light-Duty Pickup Truck by PickupTrucks.com and Popular Mechanics Magazine

• The 2013 Ford F-150 beat five competitors, including 2014 model trucks, in head-to-head tests conducted by PickupTrucks.com and Popular Mechanics

• F-150 recognized for its leading capability and performance

 

DEARBORN, Mich., June 17, 2013 – The Ford F-150 has been named winner of the 2013 Light-Duty Challenge by the editors of PickupTrucks.com and Popular Mechanics Magazine.

 

“In our performance-oriented competitive events, the Ford half-ton was dominating,” says Mark Williams, editor of PickupTrucks.com. “It finished in either first or second place in 11 of 13 events. If this were the Olympics, there would be a new Ford F-150 on a cereal box.”

 

F-150 beat out five competitors, including two of the newest entries from General Motors and the latest Ram.

 

Judges tested the 2013 Ford F-150 against the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2014 GMC Sierra 1500, 2013 Nissan Titan, 2013 Ram 1500 and 2013 Toyota Tundra. Trucks were put through rigorous performance tests including 0-60 mph acceleration (loaded and unloaded), braking, overall handling, towing and fuel economy.

 

“The results of this test show why F-Series has been the best-selling pickup truck in America for more than 30 years,” says Doug Scott, Ford truck group marketing manager. “We know our light-duty customers are looking for a pickup truck that delivers the leading combination of towing, payload, horsepower, torque and fuel economy, and this shootout proves F-150 continues to lead the pack.”

 

F-150 is part of the Ford F-Series lineup. Now in its 65th year, F-Series has been the best-selling truck in America for 36 consecutive years, the best-selling vehicle in America for 31 consecutive years, and the brand with the most trucks on the road with more than 250,000 miles, as certified by Polk.

 

The 2013 Ford F-150 features up to 11,300 pounds of towing capability and best-in-class 3,120 pounds of payload. F-150 is available with four powertrains including a 6.2-liter V8, a 5.0-liter V8, a 3.7-liter V6 and the segment-exclusive 3.5-liter EcoBoost^®.

 

F-150 is built at Dearborn Truck Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant.

Ford Using Robots to Improve “Built Ford Tough” Durability Testing of its Trucks

• Ford is first automaker to develop robotic technology that drives vehicles during new accelerated high-impact on-road and off-road durability testing

• Robotically driven vehicles ideally suited for durability test conditions that could prove too taxing for human drivers

• New technology used to ensure Ford trucks, including the all-new Transit van family, are Built Ford Tough

 

DEARBORN, Mich., June 15, 2013 – Ford engineers have developed the industry’s first robotic test driving program – now in use at the company’s Michigan Proving Grounds in Romeo, Mich. – to meet demands that Ford trucks undergo ever more strenuous Built Ford Tough testing with greater frequency.

 

The pilot program has been used most recently for durability testing of Ford’s all-new full-size Transit van, which launches in 2014.

 

“Some of the tests we do on our commercial trucks for North America are so strenuous that we limit the exposure time for human drivers,” says Dave Payne, manager, vehicle development operations. “The challenge is completing testing to meet vehicle development time lines while keeping our drivers comfortable.

 

“Robotic testing allows us to do both,” he says. “We accelerate durability testing while simultaneously increasing the productivity of our other programs by redeploying drivers to those areas, such as noise level and vehicle dynamics testing.”

 

The durability technology includes a robotic control module installed in the test vehicle that controls vehicle steering, acceleration and braking. The module is set to follow a preprogrammed course, and the vehicle’s position is tracked via cameras in a central control room and GPS accurate to plus/minus one inch. Should the vehicle stray from its programmed course, engineers have the ability to stop the vehicle, course correct as necessary, and restart the test. Onboard sensors can command a full stop if a pedestrian or another vehicle strays into the path.

 

The robotically driven vehicles are expected to repeatedly perform tests on torturous surfaces with names like Silver Creek, Power Hop Hill and Curb Your Enthusiasm. The tests can compress 10 years of daily driving abuse into courses just a few hundred yards long, with surfaces that include broken concrete, cobblestones, metal grates, rough gravel, mud pits and oversized speed bumps.

 

All North American Ford trucks must pass this battery of durability tests before they’re certified for customer use. Until now, testing speeds and repetitions for specific scenarios were limited due to restrictions placed on human drivers, who were allowed to drive certain rigorous courses only once a day.

 

The use of robots now accelerates this testing, allowing an unlimited number of repeats until Ford engineers are satisfied with the results. Robots also allow Ford to develop even more challenging durability tests to build tougher trucks.

 

Ford engineers worked with Utah-based Autonomous Solutions Inc. to design and manufacture the software and components that enable autonomous, robotic operation of the test vehicle.

 

“We’re very excited to work with Ford for autonomous vehicle testing,” said Mel Torrie, CEO of Autonomous Solutions Inc. “The reliability, durability and performance enhancements we’ve developed with Ford will not only help them reach their safety and accuracy goals, but will also improve vehicle automation in other areas such as mining, agriculture and the U.S. military.”

 

Ford engineers designed and deployed the robotic technology with two goals in mind: protecting human drivers and engineering Ford trucks to be tougher than ever.

 

“The goal here was not to develop a truly autonomous vehicle that can drive itself on city streets,” said Payne. “Our objective was to create a test track solution that allows for this type of intense testing that could take our vehicles to the most extreme limits of their engineering while ensuring the safety of all involved.”

Ford Cuts CO2 Emissions 37 Percent Per Vehicle; New Report Highlights Another 30 Percent Reduction by 2025

• Ford releases 14^th annual Sustainability Report highlighting all things sustainable, including a 37 percent per vehicle drop in CO₂ emission levels at global facilities between 2000 and 2012; a 30 percent reduction is planned between 2010 and 2025

• Ford’s sustainability efforts strengthened by strong product line, including giving customers six electrified vehicle choices: Fusion Hybrid, C-MAX Hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid; Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrids; and Focus Electric

• Other report highlights include continued progress in social issues such as training 325 suppliers in sustainability management in 2012 as part of Ford’s Code of Human Rights, Basic Working Conditions and Corporate Responsibility

 

DEARBORN, Mich., June 14, 2013 – Ford Motor Company cut CO₂ emissions at its global facilities by 37 percent per vehicle between 2000 and 2012 and plans for a 30 percent reduction from 2010 to 2025 by addressing everything from new products and technologies to manufacturing processes.

 

Ford’s work to reduce CO₂ emissions is outlined in Ford’s 14^th annual Sustainability Report issued today and more importantly, part of the company’s overall mission to facilitate continued reduction of CO₂ emissions.

 

Already, total CO₂ emissions at Ford’s global facilities have dropped by 4.65 million metric tons, or 47 percent since 2000. Ford also delivered on its commitment to reduce U.S. facility emissions by 10 percent per vehicle produced between 2002 and 2012, as part of an Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers program. And vehicle tailpipe emissions on a per vehicle basis have dropped 16 percent since 2007 as new vehicles such as Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid have become available.

 

And Ford has even bigger plans to reduce CO₂ – one of several priorities outlined in its “Blueprint for Sustainability: Our Journey Continues.” Other subjects in the voluntary report range from reduced water use and energy consumption to cutting the amount of waste-to-landfill at Ford facilities around the world.

 

“In the more than 30 years I have been with the company, I have seen genuine transformation as Ford has integrated sustainability into its business plan, products, operations and relationships with stakeholders,” says Robert Brown, vice president, sustainability, environment and safety engineering. “Water and energy use, waste-to-landfill, Ford’s role in reducing the amount of greenhouse gases like CO₂ in our atmosphere – these are just a few of the top sustainability-related priorities considered in every decision.”

 

Ford Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks said sustainability issues are embedded in the company’s business plan, and are consistent with its aim to deliver great products, a strong business and a better world.

 

“We are much more proactive in understanding the importance of sustainability in the broadest sense – not only in relation to our products, but also in the quality of the financial results that we derive from them,” said Shanks, whose perspective is featured in this year’s report.

 

Ford issued its first voluntary sustainability report in 1999 as a way to summarize and report on the company’s initiatives regarding social, economic and environmental issues. Like Ford’s sustainability-related processes and results, the report has evolved – from a printed booklet similar to an annual report, to being so detailed and comprehensive today that it requires an entire website, which can be found here.

 

CO₂…

In the early 2000s, Ford’s Climate Change Task Force identified a need to address shifting market trends and government regulations – among many other factors – with regard to reducing CO₂ emissions.

 

Investors also are increasingly showing greater concern about climate change as a material risk for companies, creating a much stronger link between climate-change-relevant information and initiatives – such as the CO₂ Model – and access to capital.

 

“Beyond those imperatives, we had taken to heart our responsibility to contribute to meeting the challenge of climate change,” says John Viera, global director, sustainability and vehicle environmental matters.

 

Ford has developed products and technologies along with processes at its facilities and plans to meet its own targets while also doing its part to help keep CO₂ levels in the Earth’s atmosphere at or below 450 parts per million – a goal many scientists, businesses and governmental agencies say must be met to avoid the most serious effects on climate change.

 

Take Ford’s EcoBoost^® engines – now on more than 600,000 Ford Motor Company vehicles – that improve fuel economy and cut CO₂. And since sales began of Ford C-MAX Hybrid and Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, more than 20 billion grams of CO₂ have been saved. Emissions from C-MAX Energi are less than half the average CO₂ that comes from a regular car.

 

The C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi are part of six electrified vehicle choices from Ford. Other vehicles are: Fusion Hybrid, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, Fusion Energi plug-in hybrids and Focus Electric

 

At its facilities, Ford is expanding its industry-leading 3-Wet paint capacity by 50 percent this year – adding the environmentally friendly process to four more plants on three continents. Increased use of this process, which streamlines the painting process, is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 25 percent where used.

 

And in the last eight years, company scientists have developed the Ford CO₂ Model – a business planning tool that takes into consideration data and regulations from, among others, the International Energy Agency, National Center for Atmospheric Research, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Ford also worked with researchers at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden, and from companies such as BP in the process of developing the CO₂ Model.

 

…And beyond CO₂

Ford’s sustainability report is a comprehensive showcase of the company’s efforts to tackle a myriad of sustainability challenges in a rapidly changing world. Specifically, the report addresses Ford’s overall financial health, the fuel economy of Ford Motor Company vehicles, safety achievements and other sustainability-related issues, such as:

 

• Trained 325 suppliers in sustainability management in 2012 as part of Ford’s Code of Human Rights, Basic Working Conditions and Corporate Responsibility; nearly 2,100 suppliers have been trained through the program
• Reduced waste-to-landfill by 19 percent per vehicle between 2011 and 2012, part of a plan to cut the amount of waste-to-landfill 40 percent per vehicle by 2016 (baseline is 2011)
• Reduced global water use by 1.95 million cubic meters from 2011 to 2012. Based on regional water cost estimates, this yielded more than $3 million in cost savings
• Cut global use of water per vehicle produced to 4.3 cubic meters (one cubic meter equals 264 gallons) in 2012 – down from 4.7 cubic meters in 2011 and 5.1 cubic meters in 2010. The company targets a 2 percent reduction in 2013 and continues working toward cutting water use 30 percent per vehicle by 2015 (2009 baseline)
• Reduced global water use by 62 percent between 2000 and 2012 – equal to about 10 billion gallons
• Established a five-year objective to improve operational energy use per vehicle globally by 25 percent by the end of 2016 (2011 baseline)
• Improved global energy efficiency by 6.4 percent against a 2011 year baseline normalized for weather and production levels

Ford Alternative Fuel Solutions

When it comes to climate change, Ford is offering solutions that can help customers improve their carbon footprint and their bottom line. It starts with creating a no-compromise range of efficient, alternative fuel vehicles. From electric cars, to hybrids, to natural gas-powered commercial trucks, Ford is committed to delivering the right vehicle for the right job while, most importantly, doing right by our planet.

Ford Goes Electric

Ford has five vehicles that run on electric technology. It's part of our strategy to make cars that last when it comes to efficiency on the road and to create a lasting impact on our earth -- doing our share to reduce the impacts of climate change. It's also about building a range of electric vehicles, from all-electric to plug-in hybrids, that fit the needs of each customer.

Cleaning Up with Natural Gas

The same type of gas you use to cook a pot of spaghetti in your home can also be a safe, clean and every bit as capable a solution for your vehicle. And, according to current national averages, a cheaper solution. Ford is already taking steps toward a future where we rely less on petroleum vehicles and more on vehicles that run on natural gas and other alternative fuels.

Ford Mustang Adds to Nearly 3,000 Credits with Leading Hero Car Role in Upcoming ‘Need for Speed’ Movie

• A one-of-a-kind, customized Ford Mustang plays a prominent role in the upcoming film from DreamWorks Studios, “Need for Speed,” based on the long-running video game series

• Mustang fans have crowd-sourced a list of about 3,000 Ford Mustang appearances on the large and small screen over nearly five decades

• Mustang made its silver screen debut in the 1964 James Bond film “Goldfinger” just months after its launch

 

DEARBORN, Mich., June 10, 2013 – From appearances in James Bond’s “Goldfinger” to Steve McQueen’s “Bullitt” and now “Need for Speed,” the Ford Mustang has had one of the most prolific entertainment careers, with appearances in nearly 3,000 feature films and TV shows and a global fan following.

 

With a résumé like that, Mustang may someday get its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

Mustang has been so popular that one avid fan used crowd-sourcing to create a database on the Web dedicated to cataloging the pony car’s appearances.

 

“My Mustang interest started in 1966, when I was 14 years old,” said Stefan Thorarensen, founder and board member of The Icelandic Mustang Club. “My aunt bought a Poppy Red 1965 Mustang Fastback, and I have never gotten over it.” Thorarensen began collecting VHS tapes and DVDs as his passion for Mustang grew. In 2009, he used a list of 300 movie and television show titles as the starting point for creation of a comprehensive, crowd-sourced site called MustangImdb.com. About 100 contributors have grown the list of Mustang on-screen appearances to nearly 3,000 titles.

 

This crowd-sourced effort is just one demonstration of the power of Mustang, with such a broad worldwide fan base that it even includes clubs in such far-flung locales as Iceland, Poland and New Zealand, where it has never officially even been offered for sale.

 

Leading roles

Mustang got off to a quick start in the movies and has never looked back. Just eight months after its debut at the 1964 New York World Fair, a Wimbeldon White convertible was the mount of choice for a beautiful assassin hunting down James Bond in “Goldfinger.” Several years later, Bond himself took the wheel of the pony car as he raced through the streets of Las Vegas in “Diamonds are Forever.”

 

By 1968, Mustang was already an icon on the road, but the late Steve McQueen transformed the pony car into a movie star in its own right with what is widely acclaimed as the best car chase ever filmed, the nine-minute climax of “Bullitt.” Forty-four years later, that same sequence would be reprised on the small screen for the series finale of “Alcatraz.”

 

The 2000 remake of “Gone in Sixty Seconds” produced another iconic pony in the form of Eleanor, the silver and black 1967 Mustang driven by Nicolas Cage. That car was recently sold at auction for more than $1 million and has spawned numerous replicas.

 

Back to the silver screen in 2014

As Mustang celebrates its 50th birthday next year, it will hit the silver screen once again in DreamWorks Studios, “Need for Speed.” The new film, inspired by the long-running series of driving video games from Electronic Arts, features the Mustang throughout the adaptation of the gaming franchise. The film’s star, Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”), will be joined by a one-of-a-kind, customized Mustang playing the role of the hero car.

 

“We’re thrilled to have Ford play such an important part in a film adapted from one of the most popular video games of all time,” said Keith Koeppen, Ford marketing communications manager. “Mustang has an incredible history appearing in movies and ‘Need for Speed’ will be a great way to continue its hero car legacy.”

 

Created with the help of designers at Ford, the one-off Mustang is perfectly cast for the high-stakes racing and stunts included in the film that fans will love. The Mustang features a more aggressive look due to custom bodywork including wider fenders and features like a lowered suspension and custom 22-inch wheels and tires. Even the fog lamps are new, with high-tech LED halo lamps around the air intakes.

 

A hero car needs a hero engine, so this Mustang has been fit with a 900-horsepower all-aluminum supercharged 5.8-liter V8 modified by Ford Racing. To top it all off, the car gets a custom paint job with specially formulated silver topped by blue stripes that glow when struck by light in the dark.

 

A preview of the movie can be viewed here. The film is scheduled for release in March 2014.

 

50 years of Mustang

The Ford Mustang is about to become the newest member of a very exclusive club – vehicles in continuous production for 50 years. In its first 49 years of production, Mustang has gained a worldwide base of avid fans, including more than 5 million on Facebook, the most of any vehicle nameplate. Mustang’s unique combination of style, performance and affordability established an entirely new class of sporty cars, and it has led the segment ever since.

 

Over the past 49 years each of the more than 9.2 million Mustangs produced has been built in America, most of them close to Ford’s home base in Dearborn, Mich. From the racetrack to the silver screen to the airwaves, Mustang has become an enduring part of pop culture.

 

The 2014 Ford Mustang is built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.