Ford turns to weight reduction to cut Emissions, boost Fuel Economy (Ind. Report, R&D)

We reported in our August 19, 2008 edition that weight-reduction is considered the low-hanging fruit of increased vehicle efficiency, but achieving the weight cuts can be surprisingly difficult. Nevertheless, Ford is forging ahead with plans to cut between 500 and 750 pounds off every vehicle in its lineup. In turn, these changes will allow the automaker to shrink the size of its engine, improving efficiency further. As we've reported on several occasions, Mazda has launched a similar initiative. (Source: Autoblog Green, April 9, 2009) Contact: Ford, www.ford.com