2006 Fusion Environment
FUSION DELIVERS PERFORMANCE AND PZEV EMISSIONS, 31 MPG; HYBRID MODEL COMING SOON
- Fusion meets California ’s Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle status
- Fusion I-4 delivers 31 mpg, Fusion V-6 deliver 29 mpg
- Hybrid model to be introduced in 2008
| "Ninety percent of the improvement in emissions is achieved in the first 20 seconds of startup." – Gary Zabkiewicz, Ford Fusion Calibration Supervisor |
Good news for the environment: Fusion's standard Duratec 23 I-4 with automatic transaxle will be rated as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) in states that have adopted California 's emissions regulations. It will be the Ford brand's third PZEV application, after the Escape Hybrid and Focus PZEV.
The Duratec 30 V-6 will meet LEV II evaporative standards in federal states and ULEV II tailpipe emissions in California . The V-6 is the cleanest Duratec 30 ever produced qualifying for ULEV II tailpipe emissions.
In 2008, Ford will offer Fusion with a hybrid powertrain – making it the fifth full hybrid in the Ford Motor Company stable, following the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid.
HOW CLEAN IS A FUSION PZEV?
To be certified as a PZEV, Fusion had to meet three criteria:
- The Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle standard (SULEV)
- Engineers had to virtually eliminate fuel system evaporative emissions
- The powertrain limited warranty had to ensure that these stringent criteria will be met for an extended lifetime of 15 years or 150,000 miles
Compared with the Tier I emissions standard, the SULEV standard requires 97 percent fewer hydrocarbon emissions, 76 percent less carbon monoxide and 97 percent less nitrogen oxide. In practical terms, a SULEV – such as the Fusion PZEV – emits only one pound of smog-forming pollution during 15,000 miles of driving. That's good enough to earn a perfect "10" on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Green Vehicle Guide."
By comparison, each vehicle certified to the Tier I standard emits about 30.5 pounds over the same distance.
Outside of California , the Fusion PZEV has slightly higher tailpipe emissions – even though the car's electronics, powertrain and emissions equipment are identical – because other states have not adopted California 's clean-fuels program.
Fusion's V-6 engine will be the cleanest Duratec 30 ever produced. The Duratec 30 V-6 will meet federal LEV II standards and ULEV II tailpipe emissions in California .
Outside California , the Duratec 30 and the Duratec 23 – with manual or automatic transmission – will qualify for Federal Tier II, Bin 5 or better tailpipe ratings, which rates a score of "8" on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Green Vehicle Guide."
FUEL ECONOMY PROJECTIONS
The 2006 Fusion is the next in a series of vehicles that underscore Ford Motor Company's commitment to help create a better world.
Fusion's powertrains will provide spirited performance, along with good fuel economy and emissions ratings.
The EPA highway fuel economy rating for the V-6 is 29 miles per gallon (mpg), while the I-4 manual is 31 mpg.
DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT, SMART MANUFACTURING = ENVIRONMENTAL SAVINGS
Traditionally, vehicles in development eat up a lot of natural resources as well as time. Even with computers doing much of the "back-end" work, people still want to see the results on paper. There are meetings, often involving engineers and designers from different parts of the company, even different parts of the country, coming together to review progress and make changes. There are clay models to be built, revised and built again. And, once the vehicle has been approved for manufacturing, a few of the early versions often have to be scrapped because of unexpected hiccups in the process.
All in all a process that uses a lot of natural resources, energy and time.
The 2006 Ford Fusion is the company's first fully "digital" car. It was completely designed, engineered and tested for manufacture in a digital environment – using the most advanced design tools available for precision, quality and efficiency.
As a result, the virtual build reduced the time and cost of a typical program as well as reducing unnecessary environmental impacts.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With more than 327,000 employees and 110 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Motor Credit Company and Hertz. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.