Ford introduces PZEV badging to 2007 Focus in California
Badging to the rescue. With the Toyota taking the hybrid title and the domestics vying for ethanol/flex-fuel laurels, Ford announced today it is stepping up its green marketing attempts with the PZEV badge to let consumers know its got green vehicles, too. PZEV stands for Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle and the first Ford to wear the mark is the 2007 Ford Focus with a 2.0-liter Duratec 20E engine. The badge will be applied to all 2007 Ford Focuses sold in California (the PZEV designation is based on the the California Air Resources Board certification) and other Ford Motor Company vehicles from Mercury, Volvo and Mazda are also in line for the mark.
PZEV means that the vehicle meets three criteria set by CARB: tailpipe emissions must be 80 percent lower than the average of other 2007 models, there must be virtually no fuel vapors escaping from the fuel system, and the manufacturer must warranty the PZEV requirements for 15 years of 150,000 miles. Ford says that the 37-mpg 2007 Ford Focus meets the same emissions standards as the best hybrids. One bit of vague trivia Ford included in their press release is that grilling one hamburger emits more hydrocarbon emissions than a Focus PZEV would over a 180-mile drive. Does that mean we shouldn't grill burgers?
[Source: Ford]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bill 4:54PM (8/28/2006)
It's a shame the US doesn't get the European market 2nd generation Focus. Instead, we get the 1st generation one. It's not a bad car, it's roomy and rides well for a car of it's class, but it had a rocky start at it's introduction, and now it's basically been on the market for, what, 7 years? with mostly minor changes. It's supposed to be reliable and good now, even Consumer Reports was recommending it, but now too many buyers have brushed it off.
The PZEV change was actually done a few years ago with little fanfare, but at the time nobody really cared.
Personally I like the Wagon and 4 door hatchback versions.
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Tim 9:37PM (8/28/2006)
"...grilling one hamburger emits more hydrocarbon emissions than a Focus PZEV would over a 180-mile drive. Does that mean we shouldn't grill burgers?"
Yes! Don't even buy the beef in the first place.
Beans, for example, take 1/27 the amount of fossil fuel to produce a calorie of energy than beef does. That's about a 96% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions on top of the emissions you are saving from not grilling.
Eating one pound of hamburger does the same damage as driving an average car for more than three weeks.
Read more here
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Tim Lottridge 9:47PM (8/28/2006)
The link for "here" didn't work. I'll try again... http://www.earthsave.org/environment/foodchoices.htm
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FrankDaCrank 6:20AM (8/29/2006)
37MPG? What?? Where the heck has Ford been hiding this engine? Previous commenter is correct on the body, dump it, it's an old body, get rid of it already!!! Does Ford have a clue? Where is their B segment vehicle? With a B segment body and this engine, we could easily see 40+ MPG, get going already FORD!!! Give me a reason to buy a FORD.
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ken keller 6:31PM (8/29/2006)
My 2004 Focus has this rating. So what's new?
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Marc 3:53PM (8/29/2006)
The only Ford I ever considered was the first gen of these PZEV's, before the Focus re-do last year. The first PZEV engines were also more powerful, something like 145 hp w/a PZEV. If they had offered it as a 5 door when I got my Matrix, I might have bought one.
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Miyoshi 9:08PM (8/30/2006)
I'm glad that Ford is providing such an affordable PZEV vehicle (hopefully this makes its way into the Fusion sedans), but offering a PZEV these days is not that remarkable considering the Honda Accord 4cyl, Mazda 3, Toyota Camry 4cyl, Subaru Legacy 2.5L, and Jetta 2.5L (just to name a few) all have PZEV variants in the "clean" states, without the obnoxious PZEV badge.
Like #1 said, the PZEV rated Focus engines have been available for some time. This sounds like some Greenwashing by Ford to highlight low emissions, but ignore the lack of a car-based hybrid and/or higher-mileage vehicle in their lineup (Combined mileage of 26/34 out of a 2.0L Focus is nothing to brag about, Ford. The Accord and Camry almost match that mileage.)
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Jay 3:12AM (9/20/2006)
Green is definitely in for Ford as the Focus receives a new badge to denote its PZEV four-cylinder engine. Well let's just hope that this move will indeed prove to be useful in educating consumers and promoting awareness regarding Ford's environmental-friendly vehicles.
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