Ford Natural Gas SUVs 'Protect and Serve' the Environment

18 September 1998
Ford Natural Gas SUVs 'Protect and Serve' the Environment
    LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18 -_ From the beaches of Los Angeles,
across the mountains of Aspen, and to New York City's Central Park, Ford Motor
Company's new full-size natural gas sport utility Expedition is
ready to "Protect and Serve" the environment.
    Today, Ford began delivery of the first of more than 50 natural gas-
powered Expeditions as part of a three-year demonstration program.  Built for
use by law enforcement, beach and park officials across the country, the
natural gas Expedition is the first sport utility vehicle (SUV) to meet
California's Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) standard, emitting 85
percent fewer smog-forming hydrocarbon emissions than the permitted level in
California for 1999.
    Lifeguards in Los Angeles County will use 10 natural gas Expeditions to
patrol the beaches as well as for maintenance and security purposes.  In
Aspen, that city's police force will use five Expeditions for security and
regular street patrols.  And New York's Central Park Conservancy will use its
seven Expeditions for police security and as park shuttles.
    "The fleet customers participating in this program will really put these
trucks to the test," said Gurminder Bedi, Ford vice president, Truck Vehicle
Center.  "These vehicles are the toughest, cleanest, and safest sport utility
vehicles on the market."
    Ford also will be placing natural gas Expeditions with the following
customers for the three year program: Beaver Creek Resort, Vail Colorado;
Capitol Police, Washington D.C.; Park City Olympic Ski Area, Park City, Utah;
Niagara Falls State Park, Buffalo, New York, Bethpage and Jones Beach Parks,
Long Island, New York; and Stanley Park Police, Vancouver, Canada.
    Through this demonstration program, Ford intends to build and enhance
customer interest to natural gas sport utility vehicle in order to determine
if they should be put into production.
    "The Ford natural gas-powered Expedition exemplifies Ford's full-time
commitment to maintaining its leadership in reducing emissions and providing
cleaner vehicles," said Bedi.  "The natural gas-powered Expedition
demonstrates Ford's dedication to finding environmental solutions and building
real vehicles that can meet the driving and utility needs of our customers."
    The Expedition is the third full-size truck built in a dedicated natural
gas version.  NGV versions of the F-250 pickup and Econoline van are already
on sale.  All three trucks meet SULEV emissions and are the cleanest of their
class in the world.
    Ford achieves the extremely low tailpipe emission levels by pairing the
clean-burning characteristics of natural gas with a Ford-patented advanced
catalyst system and unique engine control strategy.
    The patented emission control system features a small gas "conditioning"
catalyst that works in tandem with electronic engine controls to decrease
pollutants to levels never before attained with vehicles of this size.  The
Ford engineers who developed this system were named Distinguished Inventors
for 1998 by the national Intellectual Property Owners Association.
    "Not only are these dedicated NGVs cleaner than most vehicles in their
class, but they have improved driveability and performance because the
extremely high efficiency of the emission control system eliminates the need
for re-circulating the exhaust gas," said Haren Gandhi, Technical Fellow in
the Ford Research Laboratory.  "Using natural gas fuel also generates about 20
percent less carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, than produced with equivalent
gasoline-powered vehicles."
    The natural gas Expedition is just the latest addition to Ford's "Clean
Utility Vehicle" fleet.  All 1999 model year Ford, Lincoln and Mercury
gasoline-powered sport utility vehicles and the Windstar Minivan will meet Low
Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards.  Not only will these vehicles beat federal
emissions standards for trucks, they will be cleaner than most passenger cars
on the road today.