Interested in saving on fuel costs and greening your fleet? Ford has developed a specialized new tool to help fleet managers select fuel-efficient vehicles based on specific fuel types, technologies, and operating locations.

The Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Cost Calculator incorporates critical operational information to evaluate fuel costs and emissions, providing an opportunity for fleet managers to quickly evaluate multiple vehicle and fuel options.

Customizing the Information

Ford’s Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Cost Calculator applies customer-specific information, such as vehicle type, fuel type, and individual driving patterns (city traffic or on the highway, for instance), plus the geographic region where the vehicle will be used, to generate information about the fuel efficiency and sustainability of comparable vehicles.

“This tool will help our customers make the most informed purchase decisions possible — ones that will meet their business needs, help promote energy security, and help protect the environment,” said Sandy Winkler, senior researcher with Ford Research & Advanced Engineering and developer of the tool.

For example, the tool can demonstrate how operating an electric vehicle in Portland, Ore., has different environmental ramifications from operating one in Pittsburgh. This is due to hydropower being a common source of electricity in the Pacific Northwest, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, compared with the mostly coal-based electricity used in the East Central region.

Fleet-Optimized Sustainability

The emissions calculator helps customers compare the benefits of any two vehicles, but Ford also wants take this a step further by helping customers understand more about the overall sustainability of their fleets.

The automaker is piloting the Fleet Purchase Planner, which uses mathematical optimization to provide customized purchase recommendations highlighting the best value opportunities for improving corporate sustainability. Ford continues to make sustainability a priority and is partnering with its customers to do so.

“We look for innovative analytical solutions to help our customers better understand their green vehicle technology options and identify those most beneficial on an individual customer basis,” said Daniel Reich, an operations research analyst at Ford Research & Advanced Engineering.

Customers may contact a Ford representative for more information about this proprietary program. Ford reps can create a customized analysis for fleet managers to determine the environmental impact and fuel costs of specific vehicles.