Ford Puts Environmental Auto Resource Online
10 January 2000
Ford Puts Environmental Auto Resource Online
* First of its kind Environmental Labeling Web Site introduced at North
American International Auto Show
* Environmental profiles available on all new Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury
models
DETROIT, Jan. 10 -- Ford Motor Company today
introduced Envirodrive, the first online resource of its kind to supply
consumers with specific environmental information on cars and trucks.
The new service was unveiled at the North American International Auto
Show. Visitors to the show can experience Envirodrive at the Ford Motor
Company exhibit, or go online at http://www.fordenvirodrive.com .
"Helping our customers take personal responsibility for the environment is
what Envirodrive is all about," said Jim Schroer, Ford vice president, Global
Marketing. "Envirodrive will provide the more than four million 2000 model
year owners of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles in the U.S. with an easy and
comprehensive way to look at their cars and trucks from an environmental
perspective. And, for those in the market for a new vehicle, Envirodrive is
yet another resource to help them make an informed purchase decision."
Envirodrive is the only one-stop Web resource with the latest information
on U.S. fuel economy, emission certification, recycled content, recyclability,
and manufacturing plant environmental standards information -- information
that, until now, was time-consuming for consumers to find. The site also
offers background on the company's environmental programs and policies, as
well as environmentally responsible driving tips.
"Knowledge is power, and Ford's Envirodrive will help empower consumers to
build a greener market for cars and trucks," said John DeCicco, Senior
Associate for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and author
of ACEEE's "Green Book: The Environmental Guide to Cars and Trucks." "I hope
all automakers will follow Ford's lead in making such information widely
available."
Consumers can quickly see pertinent environmental information by entering
a vehicle's appropriate specifications on the Envirodrive site for make,
model, year, transmission, and state of purchase. Within seconds, Envirodrive
furnishes data on the environmental attributes of the vehicle. Envirodrive
currently offers environmental information on all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury
2000 model year vehicles. In addition to its own web address, Envirodrive is
linked through the company's main web site -- http://www.ford.com -- making it simple
for customers or prospective customers to pull up the environmental
information.
"For more and more people, a company's environmental commitment is growing
in importance," said Helen Petrauskas, Ford vice president, Environmental and
Safety Engineering. "We are very pleased to be leading the way in providing
useful, accessible information on the environmental performance of our
products."
Ford has taken a number of significant leadership actions in the area of
environmental responsibility. Ford is the only manufacturer that meets U.S.
Low Emissions Vehicle standards on every one of its sport utility vehicles,
Windstar minivans and F-Series pickups -- years ahead of regulations.
Ford also is the first and only automotive company to certify all of its
plants around the world under ISO 14001, the international environmental
management standard that regulates air, water, chemical handling, and
recycling. And, in December 1999, Ford was honored as the first corporation
to receive the Recycling Leadership Award from the National Recycling
Coalition. The award recognizes Ford for its aggressive and trend-setting
approach to recycling and the use of recycled materials.