Webasto Supplemental/Parking Heater Now Available on Ford F-Series Diesel Pickups

BlueHeat(R) Fuel-Operated Heater Eliminates the Need to Idle for Warmth

FENTON, Mich., Nov. 30 -- In a first for North America, Webasto's BlueHeat(R) Fuel-Operated Heater (FOH) is now a dealer-order option on all Ford F-250 through F-650 pickups equipped with the Powerstroke diesel engines. The BlueHeat(R) FOH provides on-demand in-cab heating and engine pre- heating without the necessity to idle the engine, providing significant reduction in fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions.

"This is a smart solution for fleet owners and operators to reduce operating expenses, save significant amounts of fuel, greatly reduce the amount of exhaust emissions, and retain operator comfort in cold weather," said Erik Olshall, Business Development Manager, BlueHeat(R), Webasto Product North America (WPNA). "Without running the engine, the BlueHeat(R) FOH is used by the operator to pre-heat the engine and interior and protect the engine from a cold start. While the engine is running the BlueHeat(R) FOH is used to provide supplemental heat. It is a self-contained system -- it uses diesel fuel from the vehicle's fuel tank and 12-volt power from the battery -- and integrates into the vehicle's HVAC system. Diesel engines everywhere can now be preheated in even the most remote regions without an engine block heater."

It is widely accepted within the scientific and environmental community that idling is bad for our health; for instance, the American Heart Association recently issued a scientific statement that exposure to air pollution contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases. The United States currently has at least 20 "clean-air" states that have anti- idling laws and requirements. This number does not include the additional municipalities located within those states with their own idling laws and regulations. There are 8-10 additional states with idling laws currently being reviewed.

Canada has taken the strongest North American stance with regards to idling and has key organizations which are dedicated to the reduction of idling in their towns and provinces. They have the support of the government and enforce regulations in areas where idling is illegal.

Tests show that the BlueHeat(R) FOH burns 1/8th of the fuel as compared to an idling engine, simultaneously emitting only 1/20th of the emissions.

"With a fleet of vehicles operating continuously through each workday, the savings in fuel costs for an owner become markedly significant," said Olshall. "In addition, the BlueHeat(R) FOH is virtually silent in operation providing a dramatic reduction in noise pollution versus an idling diesel engine.

"Lastly, fleet maintenance expense is reduced greatly because pre-heating the engines before starting allows oil change intervals to be increased."

Operation of the heater by the driver is extremely simple: the installation is fully integrated with the F-Series' regular heating and ventilation system. A dashboard-mounted timer or an optional key fob remote is used to turn the heater on or off.

When a Ford dealer places an order for a diesel-powered F-Series pickup, the BlueHeat(R) FOH will be a specified option. After its assembly at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, Ky., the truck is routed to the nearby Louisville Truck Equipment, an Auto Truck Group company (http://www.autotruck.com/ ), where the BlueHeat(R) FOH installation takes place prior to the truck continuing on for delivery to the dealer.

The installation design of the 17,200 BTU BlueHeat(R) FOH has been coordinated between WPNA, Auto Truck, and Ford's Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) to assure full integration with the vehicle. Each heater is delivered as a self-contained kit, complete with wire harness, fuel connection, and heater hose length (based on individual vehicle specifications) to maintain quality integrity.

Webasto is the world leader in automotive, truck and bus fuel-operated heating systems. The technology is widely known and well established in Europe where public consciousness of environmental issues and conservation of energy is much higher than North America. This significant difference is driven by public and political debate and by high taxation on fuel to encourage frugal use. In many countries, vehicle idling is illegal, while in many others drivers and operators simply don't do it. Webasto supplies fuel- operated heaters as original equipment to all major European automotive manufacturers and currently sells more than a million units annually.

Webasto Product North America, Inc., based in Fenton, Michigan, provides a wide range of sunroofs, thermosystems and other products to the passenger vehicle and light and heavy duty truck aftermarkets. It is a subsidiary of Webasto AG, one of the world's largest suppliers of open roof systems and thermosystems to the automotive industry. The 103-year old company is based in Stockdorf, Germany and employs over 6,700 people in over 40 countries. For additional information go to http://www.webasto.us/ .