<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hybrids/" rel="tag">Hybrid</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a></p><a href="http://green.autoblog.com/gallery/ford-1-6-liter-ecoboost/"><img vspace="4" hspace="0" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/ecoboostengine02-630.jpg" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><small>Ford 1.6-liter EcoBoost - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></div>
<br /> According to the latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency, <a href="http://green.autoblog.com/category/ford/">Ford</a> has scored the biggest improvement in combined fuel economy of any major carmaker over the last five years. Between 2005 and 2009, Ford improved its fleet average by nearly 20 percent - almost twice as much as any other company. While Ford certainly made a lot of incremental improvements in the efficiency of its vehicles over that period, that wasn't the only factor.<br /> <br /> That same time period saw a huge shift in the model mix at Ford. Sales of SUVs like the Explorer and Expedition collapsed as consumers moved to crossovers like the Edge and Flex (oh, and we suppose a car or two). The Explorer has gone from more than 400,000 annual sales earlier this decade to just over 68,000 last year. <br /> <br /> Ford has made actual improvements, as well, however, including the introduction of the Escape Hybrid and the roll out of six-speed transmissions. The next five years should see even bigger gains as Ford deploys millions of <a href="http://green.autoblog.com/search/?q=EcoBoost">EcoBoost</a> engines, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Ford's official press release is after the jump.<br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://green.autoblog.com/photos/ford-1-6-liter-ecoboost/low/">Ford 1.6-liter EcoBoost</a></strong></p><a href="http://green.autoblog.com/photos/ford-1-6-liter-ecoboost/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ecoboostengine02_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://green.autoblog.com/photos/ford-1-6-liter-ecoboost/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ecoboostengine01_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://green.autoblog.com/photos/ford-1-6-liter-ecoboost/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ecoboost-global-advance-info-sheet_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br /> [Source: Ford]<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/18/ford-claims-biggest-five-year-fuel-economy-improvement-among-maj/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/18/ford-claims-biggest-five-year-fuel-economy-improvement-among-maj/">Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/18/ford-claims-biggest-five-year-fuel-economy-improvement-among-maj/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19286241/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/18/ford-claims-biggest-five-year-fuel-economy-improvement-among-maj/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><small>Ford 1.6-liter EcoBoost - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></div>
<br /> According to the latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency, <a href="http://green.autoblog.com/category/ford/">Ford</a> has scored the biggest improvement in combined fuel economy of any major carmaker over the last five years. Between 2005 and 2009, Ford improved its fleet average by nearly 20 percent - almost twice as much as any other company. While Ford certainly made a lot of incremental improvements in the efficiency of its vehicles over that period, that wasn't the only factor.<br /> <br /> That same time period saw a huge shift in the model mix at Ford. Sales of SUVs like the Explorer and Expedition collapsed as consumers moved to crossovers like the Edge and Flex (oh, and we suppose a car or two). The Explorer has gone from more than 400,000 annual sales earlier this decade to just over 68,000 last year. <br /> <br /> Ford has made actual improvements, as well, however, including the introduction of the Escape Hybrid and the roll out of six-speed transmissions. The next five years should see even bigger gains as Ford deploys millions of <a href="http://green.autoblog.com/search/?q=EcoBoost">EcoBoost</a> engines, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Ford's official press release is after the jump.<br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://green.autoblog.com/photos/ford-1-6-liter-ecoboost/low/">Ford 1.6-liter EcoBoost</a></strong></p><a href="http://green.autoblog.com/photos/ford-1-6-liter-ecoboost/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ecoboostengine02_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://green.autoblog.com/photos/ford-1-6-liter-ecoboost/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ecoboostengine01_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://green.autoblog.com/photos/ford-1-6-liter-ecoboost/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ecoboost-global-advance-info-sheet_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br /> [Source: Ford]<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/18/ford-claims-biggest-five-year-fuel-economy-improvement-among-maj/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/18/ford-claims-biggest-five-year-fuel-economy-improvement-among-maj/">Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/18/ford-claims-biggest-five-year-fuel-economy-improvement-among-maj/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19286241/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/18/ford-claims-biggest-five-year-fuel-economy-improvement-among-maj/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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