Remember Ford's promise to improve SUV fuel economy by 25 percent by 2005? Or the one about building a quarter-million hybrids by 2010? Well, the Detroit Free Press reports that The Blue Oval Boyz are at it again. FoMoCo's pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its U.S. and European vehicles (no mention of Chinese or Australian models) by 30 percent by 2020. So what makes them think they can keep this promise? Better modeling, says Ford's VP for sustainability, environment and safety engineering. "We started this 'modeling' three years ago" Sue Cishcke reveals. "And that's given us confidence to be able to say what our thinking and blueprint and plan is, and how it's aligning with the regulations." Of course, meeting the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards will increase fuel efficiency by 40 percent– and reduce greenhouse emissions drastically. And when do these new regs go into effect? Why it's 2020! What a coincidence.
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This is an achievable target, since they’ll be selling 30% less cars by 2020.
Thank you! I’ll be here all week! :O)
Beat me too it. AMC had 0 emissions last year, talk about your eco friendly companies
katie….thanks for the brit humor…very funny !
This is an achievable target, since they’ll be selling 30% less cars by 2020.
Ford’s going to need some ointment after that burn. ;)
And Studebaker. Don’t forget Studebaker! Zero emissions!
Actually, I have no doubt the goal is achievable. Lighter cars, there’s a lot of research going on on how to make the ICE even more efficient. If they’re selling electric cars, or even decent hybrids, and not selling porkers, that will do even more. But Ford seems to be suggesting to the feds that they are going to be dragging their feet vis a vis CAFE and trying to score points with the public at the same time.
Ford should really be doing more of this. They seemed to have given up on greewashing with the end of the Kermit commercials. Ford had the first hybrid SUV and builds the F150 at a “green” factory, complete with grass on the roof.
If GM can score points for vehicles that don’t even exist and Al Gore can lecture people on reducing emmisions while causing more emissions in one day than most people will in an entire lifetime, surely Ford should cash in on this.
hat tip to Katie. lol
Perhaps they shouldn’t loudly proclaim THIS promise on every roadside billboard sign within 50 miles of Detroit … just in case the have to renege again. Just a thought, Ford.
This is an achievable target, since they’ll be selling 30% less cars by 2020.
It’s worse than that. By 2020 Ford will be selling 50% of the cars they do today, so they are actually thinking that their per vehicle gas emissions will go up! By 40%.
Sounds like a positive spin on their expected failure to meet CAFE.
Good marketing PR. Ms. Cischke has perfected this over the years.