Ford wants to be a greener company. From its corporate offices, to manufacturing facilities, to its dealers, the automaker is finding ways to scale down its environmental footprint. And as for making green products, Ford isn’t just making fuel-sipping powertrains, the company is also experimenting with materials like soy to make their vehicles greener inside and out.
With the all-new 2011 Explorer, Ford not only has increased fuel economy by about 25 percent compared to the current model, but other eco-friendly features were also included such as soy-based seat cushions and seatbacks.
“Soy foam is just the tip of the iceberg in the development of vehicle materials from natural resources,” said Debbie Mielewski, Ford polymer technical leader. “We have to entertain the thought of bio-replacement in baby steps, looking at every aspect of a car that could be green. One day I hope to see the automotive world go totally compostable, removing the use of petroleum-based parts 100 percent.”
In addition to leveraging sustainable materials in the upcoming Explorer, Ford also promises that by the end of 2010, each product in Ford’s U.S. lineup will feature this same material.
“American farmers export more than 50 percent of the soybeans grown in the U.S., and we have an oversupply of soybean oil,” Todd Allen, an Arkansas soybean farmer said. “So there is plenty of capacity in the soybean industry for both food and industrial use.”
When the 2011 Ford Explorer is finally launched, it will have to appeal to the same SUV buyers that loved the go-anywhere ruggedness of the previous model. But simultaneously it will still have to drawn in the type of buyers that are drawn to Nissan Murano Seattle WA dealers and their more car-like offerings.
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