Fords fuel economy plans

Ford is on a mission to debunk the fuel efficiency myth that only the little guys get high miles per gallon. At a WAPA luncheon on Wednesday, Barbara Samardzich, Ford’s VP of Global Product Programs, spoke to the group about the automaker’s future plans. Watch the video of her remarks here.  Samardzich talked about the pressure that exists on OEMs to “meet or exceed what’s written on the window sticker.” But Ford isn’t sweating it. They want the consumer to feel like they’ve gotten what they expected out of their vehicles. That’s why Ford is implementing multiple strategies to increase fuel economy in its lineup.

“We want customers – when they think about fuel economy – to think about Ford.” –Barbara Samardzich, Vice President of Global Product Programs

Using technologies such as its EcoBoost engine, which reduces displacement and uses direct injection and turbocharging to maintain performance, Ford has improved fuel economy from its smallest Fiesta to its largest truck. “Fuel economy is not the sole domain of small vehicles,” says Samardzich. “The truck customer values fuel economy and new technologies just as much as other Ford customers.” Ford placed an all-new V6 engine in its F-series for the 2011 model year, and according to Samardzich, the “take rate has been much higher than anticipated.” An article from June 1 also talks about the popularity of the more efficient models. In addition to EcoBoost technology, Ford also plans to implement a weight reduction strategy by using both lighter and sustainable materials, auto start-stop technology, active grille shutters, and decel fuel shut-off functionality.But that’s not all Ford has up its sleeve by way of fuel efficiency. Samardzich says we can expect to see 25 percent of the Detroit-based automaker’s lineup electrified by 2025.