Ford's green drive moves up a gear for 2009

Ford's exciting new product line-up includes the most fuel-efficient family cars ever offered. The company's frugal, low emission vehicles and its sustainable production have both attracted praise from the likes of Green-Car-Guide.com and Which?

Ford enters 2009 with an increased number of models emitting under 120g CO2/km and qualifying for road tax of only £35 annually. The complete new Ford Ka range, on sale this month, falls under the 120g threshold – as do new Ford Fiesta diesels which return up to 76.3mpg and less than 100g CO2/km. Ford now offers 51 sub-120g models – 18 more than a year ago.

The blue oval also boasts the most comprehensive sub-160g range of all manufacturers, with 185 models providing savings to company car drivers and their employers. With tax based on emissions, a 2.0-litre Ford Mondeo's 156g CO2/km results in £200 less company car tax per year.

From April companies will be able to write down the value of sub-160g cars at 20 per cent annually (instead of the 10 per cent allowance on cars emitting over 160g). The 2.0 Ford Kuga crossover has joined Ford's sub-160 range with a new front-wheel drive version producing just 159g CO2/km.

Greenest Manufacturer of the Year
At the end of 2008 Ford was named the year's Greenest Manufacturer of the Year by Green-Car-Guide.com. The online guide highlighted the fuel economy of Ford's ECOnetic range, as well as the Ford Kuga and C-MAX.

Editor Paul Clarke said: "Ford has a great range of practical, well designed and enjoyable low emission cars for the average family. The ECOnetic range means that low-cost solutions make cars that are family favourites even more efficient, environmentally responsible and cheaper to run. There are no drawbacks such as limited range, low speed, no space or huge price premiums."

In its Greener Driving Guide, Which? credited Ford with addressing the environmental impact of its manufacturing and retail facilities: "Ford produces its diesel engines on machinery powered by wind turbines and has opened its first 'green' dealership, with water harvesting (to collect rain for car washing), its own wind turbine and heating powered by waste oil."

Green Car of the Year
Also during 2008, Ford S-MAX won the MPV category of the Green Car Awards run by the Environmental Transport Association and website Whatgreencar.com made the Ford Focus ECOnetic its first Green Car of the Year.

Andy Taylor, Ford's European sustainability director, said: "Demand is so strong for Ford cars with small diesel engines from wind-powered Dagenham Diesel Centre that the site will add a third turbine this year to power plant output. Ford's ECOnetic range uses Dagenham's 1.6 and 1.8 TDCi engines. The accolades Ford has received acknowledge both our greenest product offerings yet and the attention given to the environmental impact of how our cars are made, and disposed of."

Sales of Ford's sub-120g cars soared during 2008 – peaking at 50 per cent up in November year-on-year and averaging a 25 per cent rise for the full year.