Just How Eco-Friendly is the 2015 Ford F-150?

When it comes to environmental sustainability in the automobile industry, there is more to the equation than simply making vehicles that use either less fossil fuels or even none at all.

While the impact of automobiles on climate change and overall environmental sustainability must always involve the reality that the overwhelming majority of vehicles in use today require fossil fuels to make them go, it by no means is the only factor that needs to be considered.  The modern automobile is a sophisticated and complex compilation of thousands of parts, just as many unique materials and significant energy use in order to put it all together.  For automakers, in order to reduce their overall environmental impact it is critical to consider all aspects of their industry and how they can both lessen their impact and improve their eco-efficiencies on a broad scale.

DON’T MISS F-150 ECO TOUR VIDEO BELOW

Living roof above Ford's Rouge Assembly Plant in Dearborn, MI

The Ford Motor Company is one automaker who has made many public overtures in relation to their efforts to build vehicles that are less harmful to our environment.  Environmental sustainability and mitigation of impact on our environment are key tenants of Ford’s current growth strategy, and recently to provide an overview on some of the work they are doing in this area, they invited several members of the media to their global headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan to let us see for ourselves the efforts being undertaken.

Much of the day and a half visit focused around initiatives included in their all-new flagship 2015 F-150 half-tonne pick-up.  As the top selling vehicle of any type in North America for decades, the chance to incorporate many sustainable and fuel-efficient initiatives into the new design was seen as a critical opportunity that needed to be optimized. We were provided with information on the use of aluminum in the body to significantly reduce the weight of the F-150 and we took part in a presentation focusing on their latest EcoBoost engine, a 2.7L six-cylinder variant specifically designed for the new F-150.

Perhaps what drew my attention the most however, was how Ford included a variety of products that were either derived from, or included bio-based, organic or recycled materials. Everything from seat material made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic drinking bottles, to the use of soybeans in their foam material for seat cushions, and even the utilization of recycled denim as part of the sound insulation inside door handles.

During my visit, we were taken to a research building where a small team of researchers ran a lab specifically devoted to finding ways to include bio-based materials in as many aspects of auto manufacturing as possible.  These researchers continually experiment with organic items such as Soy, Cellulose Tree Fibers, Wheat Straw, Rice Hulls, Corn-based plastics, Tomato fiber and even Dandelion rubber to see how they can be included in auto manufacturing.  To me this was perhaps the most intriguing part of the tour and I had a chance to ask them how innovations in their lab eventually get carried out into wide-spread adoption.  They answered that once a formulation is created, it’s made available to their parts suppliers who are then free to implement the formulas into their own designs.  While adaptation isn’t necessarily mandatory, parts makers know that failure to implement may quickly turn into a major loss of business so they almost always comply.

Materials used at the Ford Bio-materials lab in Dearborn, MI

Shortly after my visit, I spent a week in a 2015 F-150 XLT with a 2.7L EcoBoost engine. As part of my time in the truck I decided to create a video that takes an eco-friendly overview approach to all of the sustainable initiatives that were included in the new design.  As you will see in the video which is located directly below, while the new initiatives certainly don’t go far enough to now identify the F-150 as an ‘Eco-Automobile’, it certainly goes a long way to make it ‘Eco-friendlier’.

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Ford may be known as the Big Blue Oval, but more and more it seems that shades of green are making their way into the mix.

 

Disclosure: Travel and accommodations related to this report were provided by the automaker.  The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and were not subject to approval or review.  

Eric Novak

About Eric Novak

Eric Novak is a father of 4 who also thinks that environmental stewardship is a requisite of parenting. He's not a professional Dad nor is he an environmental scientist, but he's someone who gives a damn and is trying to make the right decisions as he lives his life as a father, environmentalist, part time professor and business owner. Eric has 4 children and resides in Ajax, Ontario.