Ford Offers Technology & Tips to Help Conserve Fuel

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 28 -- From technical innovations in a variety of products to simple ideas that help customers conserve fuel and help the environment, Ford Motor Company continues to seek ways to help reduce fuel consumption. That need for conservation was made even more urgent this week when President Bush urged Americans to conserve gasoline.

Ford Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Ford recently announced a commitment to increase the Company's annual production of fuel efficient hybrid vehicles ten-fold in five years. Ford also will offer four new Flexible Fuel vehicles for 2006 that will run largely on ethanol to provide consumers with more alternative fuel options.

Ford models that help conserve fuel include the Escape Hybrid -- the most fuel-efficient SUV on the road today. All Ford passenger cars deliver 25 mpg or better on the highway. In addition, Ford offers the most fuel efficient pickup truck, station wagon, and all-wheel-drive (AWD) sedan on the market.

ECODriving Tips

Fuel efficiency experts, including Ford's environmental policy specialists, agree that learning to drive differently increases fuel efficiency. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, aggressive driving such as rapid acceleration, speeding and braking can lower your gas mileage significantly. Sensible driving not only helps conserve precious fuel resources while saving money, it's also safer for all drivers.

"We call it ECODriving -- ECOnomical because it conserves fuel and saves on fuel costs, and ECOlogical because it is better for the environment," says Andy Acho, Ford's worldwide director of environmental outreach and strategy. "This is a perfect time to remind drivers of a few simple actions they can take to help conserve fuel by up to 25 percent and save money at the same time."

DRIVING STYLE

* Time studies show that aggressive driving, including fast starts, weaving in and out of traffic, accelerating to and from a stop light doesn't save much time, wastes fuel and wears out some of the car components such as brakes and tires faster.

* Don't leave car idling -- today's engines don't need to be warmed up. Prolonged idling creates excess emissions and wastes fuel. Start car and immediately, but gently, drive away.

* Turn the engine off when idling more than 30 seconds.

* Start slowly, avoiding rapid acceleration. Jackrabbit starts waste fuel.

* Accelerate smoothly and brake gradually. Change lead foot to light foot.

* Anticipate traffic conditions, and accelerate and decelerate smoothly -- it's also safer and reduces brake wear.

VEHICLE SPEED

* Aim to maintain a constant speed -- pumping the accelerator pumps more fuel into the engine.

* Drive at posted speed limits -- this is a tip that may save a life as well as fuel. EPA estimates a 10-15% improvement by driving 55 instead of 65 mph.

  *  Use cruise control on the highway.

  ENGINE LOAD

* Avoid piling a lot of luggage on the roof rack. The added frontal area reduces aerodynamics and will hurt fuel economy. It can reduce fuel economy by up to 25 percent.

* Don't drive at higher speeds with windows wide open. It increases the aerodynamic drag on the highway and lowers fuel economy.

* Minimize use of air conditioning. Use the vent setting as much as possible.

* Park in the shade to keep car cool and reduce the need for air conditioning.

* Remove excess weight. Unnecessary weight makes the engine work harder and consume more fuel.

MAINTENANCE

* Maintain a proper engine tune-up to keep vehicles running efficiently. Keep the wheels aligned. Wheels that are fighting each other waste fuel.

* Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance and reduce fuel economy. They also wear rapidly. Check the vehicles door-post sticker for minimum cold tire inflation pressure. Keep tires properly inflated to the recommended pressure -- this alone can reduce the average amount of fuel use by 3-4 percent.

* Replace the air filter as recommended -- always consult the owner's manual.

* Use good quality, energy-conserving (EC) oils with a viscosity grade consistent with the manual. Buy cans marked with the symbol ECII, which is the American Society of Testing Materials logo for fuel-efficient oils.

* Use a fuel with good detergent additives -- to keep the vehicle engine clean and performing efficiently.

OTHER TIPS

* Plan and consolidate trips to bypass congested routes and avoid stop- and-go traffic. When feasible, carpool.

  *  Consider parking instead of using "drive-up" lanes.
  *  Consider walking or bicycling for short distances.

* Use a high-quality fuel with the lowest appropriate octane rating. Check the owner's manual for the manufacturer's recommendation. There is no benefit to using premium gas in a vehicle calibrated for regular.

  FORD'S 2006 FUEL-EFFICIENT PRODUCTS
  *  The Ford Focus wagon has the best fuel economy of any station wagon.

* The Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego offer the best fuel economy available in an AWD car.

* The Ford Ranger pickup is the most fuel-efficient pickup truck available today. It was selected as the top-rated compact pick-up truck by http://www.greenercars.com/ .

* The 2006 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer boast up to 10 percent improved highway fuel economy over previous models.

* The new 2006 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan, with its four-cylinder engine delivers fuel economy of 31 mpg hwy and 23 mpg city.

* The Ford Freestyle offers the best fuel economy of any seven-passenger SUV.

* Ford offers an unsurpassed number of vehicle configurations -- including the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr -- with an advanced 6-speed or CVT automatic transmission -- designed to offer better fuel economy and performance than a typical 4- or 5-speed automatic.

* The Mercury Mariner Hybrid, the second of Ford's hybrid vehicles, delivers 33 mpg hwy and 29 mpg city.