Ford Motor Co. said it plans to increase the average fuel economy of its sport/utility vehicle lineup by 25 percent over five years, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company said this is the initial step in its goal to make the rest of its truck lineup more environmentally friendly.
Ford said it aims to increase the average fuel economy of its SUVs to 23 miles per gallon in 2005 from the current 18 mpg, but without adding any increased costs to consumers. About 30 percent of the SUV fuel-economy gain will come from new products, such as the new compact Escape. Due to its small size, the Escape will help balance out Ford’s larger, less-efficient SUVs.
About 70 percent of Ford’s efforts to improve the fuel efficiency of its SUVs will come from development of lower-weight materials and more fuel-efficient engines and transmissions. Projected improvements could save the average owner of a Ford SUV about $2,400 in fuel costs, or about 80 fill-ups, over the life of the vehicle, said Ford CEO Jacques Nasser.