In California, Ford offers the most Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV)-certified models of any manufacturer, the Focus 2.0L, Fusion 2.3L automatic, Taurus and Taurus and Escape Hybrid.
A vehicle must meet three stringent criteria set by the California Air Resources Board to be PZEV-certified:
- Tailpipe emissions must meet the Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) standard, which is more than 80 percent cleaner with respect to smog-forming emissions than the average 2007 model year vehicle
- It must produce zero gasoline evaporative emissions, virtually eliminating the escape of fuel vapor from its fuel system?a major source of smog-forming emissions
- The manufacturer must provide warranty coverage to ensure that the vehicle will meet PZEV requirements for an extended lifetime of 15 years or 150,000 miles
Ford Escape Hybrid is Presenting Sponsor of BPM Magazine's 11 th Anniversary Issue Celebrating the Environment: Ford Motor Company continues to go 'green' with the Escape Hybrid serving as the Presenting Sponsor of BPM Magazine's 11th Anniversary party celebrating the environment. Through this partnership with the trend setting magazine, celebrities experienced the Escape Hybrid first hand as they were shuttled to and from The Avalon, in the heart of Hollywood. In addition, multiple Escape Hybrids were on display, with celebrities getting up close and personal with the environmentally friendly vehicle on the exclusive "green" carpet. Ford remains committed to being active in Hollywood and seeking opportunities to support the entertainment industry's most important environmental causes. For more information on BPM Magazine, please visit www.bpmmagazine.net Ford Motor Company and Southern California Edison Explore Plug-in Hybrids: Ford and Edison to explore ways to make plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles more accessible to consumers, reduce petroleum-related emissions and improve the cost-effectiveness of the nation's electricity grid. This is the nation's first collaboration to examine the future of PHEVs as part of a complete vehicle, home and grid energy system. Ford Is Long-Term Sponsor of Santa Monica's Heal the Bay: Heal the Bay, founded in 1985, is dedicated to making Santa Monica Bay and Southern California costal waters safe and healthy again for people and marine life. It is one of the largest nonprofit environmental organizations in Los Angeles County, with more that 10,000 members. The organization focuses on education, outreach, research and advocacy through programs like Coastal Cleanup Day and its Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Beach Report Card weekly and annual updates are available at www.healthebay.org. Official Vehicle of Project7ten: Ford has launched a strategic environmental campaign with Project7ten, an innovative and groundbreaking environmental green home being built from the ground up in Venice, Calif. The house that is being built has been designed to achieve a ?Platinum? designation from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System , which is the nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. The house will officially go on the market this fall and Ford will honor the new owner with a complimentary 18-month lease of a 2008 Escape Hybrid. More information at: www.project7ten.com. Ford Escape Hybrid Facts - Most Fuel-Efficient SUV on Earth : EPA rated at 34 miles per gallon in city driving, the front-wheel drive Escape Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient SUV on earth, and can go up to 500 miles on one tank of gas.
- 'Full' Hybrid Capability: The Escape Hybrid is a ?full? hybrid, meaning it automatically switches between pure electric power, pure gasoline engine power or combined operation to maximize efficiency and performance. Its gasoline engine and electric motor work in concert, providing performance similar to that of a V-6 engine. In less demanding situations, the Escape Hybrid can run on its electric motor alone (at speeds up to 25 mph), its gasoline engine alone or the most efficient combination of the two. Full hybrids achieve their greatest improvement in fuel economy during stop-and-go driving. The Escape Hybrid provides approximately 80 percent better fuel economy in city driving than the conventional V-6 Escape.
- Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV) Certified: The Escape Hybrid dramatically reduces smog-forming emissions, as it meets the cleanest emissions standard available for a vehicle that uses fossil fuels ? California's AT-PZEV standard ? measuring an amazing 99.4 percent cleaner, on average, than an unregulated vehicle. Over 100,000 miles, the Escape Hybrid will conserve approximately 1,666 gallons of gas, effectively preventing 32,000 pounds of carbon emissions.
- Industry-first 100 Percent Recycled Seating Surfaces: The 2008 Escape and Escape Hybrid are believed to be the first U.S. automotive applications of 100 percent recycled fabric seating surfaces. The new fabric, supplied by Interface Fabrics, Inc., is produced from 100 percent post-industrial materials ? defined as anything intended for retail use that never makes it to the consumer. This can be anything from plastic intended for pop bottles to un-dyed polyester fibers. This plastic and polyester is processed, spun into yarn, dyed and woven into seat fabric. Interface Fabrics estimates that Ford's use of post-industrial recycled materials, rather than virgin fibers, could conserve an estimated 600,000 gallons of water, 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents and more than 7 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year.
- Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner Hybrid Have Highest Tax Credits:Because the real world fuel economy of the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrids increased for the 2008 model year, the Federal income tax credits now available are $3,000 for FWD models (up $400) and $2,200 on 4WD models (up $250). The Ford and Mercury Hybrids now have the highest tax credit of any hybrid ? up to $900 more than the closest competitor. For both vehicles, the new EPA-certified fuel economy for FWD models is 34 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, and 29 mpg city and 27 mpg highway for AWD models.
- Insurance Discounts for Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner Hybrids: Travelers, one of the largest providers of personal insurance products in the United States, offers hybrid drivers in the states of California, New Jersey, Texas, New York, Maryland, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia and Washington discounts of up to 10 percent on certain coverages. The company estimates their hybrid policy business grew 200 percent in 2006.
Source: Ford Motor Co.
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