Ford's portfolio approach to sustainable mobility offers a large range of fuel-efficient engines and alternative-fuel vehicles - including EcoBoost®, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, flexible fuel, battery-electric, B20 biodiesel and compressed natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (CNG/LPG) vehicles. The Ford Fleet Purchase Planner has been developed to assist fleet customers in comparing these alternatives and understanding which vehicles offer the optimal mix to achieve CO₂ emission reductions while balancing corporate financial goals. Vehicle fleets for large corporations can have thousands of vehicles that are replaced on a timescale of months to years. We present the three main components of the Fleet Purchase Planner (patent pending) that provide fleet customers the lowest cost solution to achieving their sustainability goals: the Vehicle Emissions & Fuel Cost Calculator, the Fleet CO₂ Emissions Footprint Status Calculator, and the Purchase Recommender. The Vehicle Emissions & Fuel Cost Calculator applies customer-specific information, such as vehicle type, fuel type and price, driving conditions (city or highway), geographic region where the vehicle will operate, and fuel efficiency to generate the vehicle sustainability and fuel cost information. The Fleet CO₂ Emissions Footprint Status Calculator is designed to help fleet customers understand their current carbon footprint based on their specific fleet, regions, and fuel economy. The Purchase Recommender uses mathematical optimization to provide customized purchase recommendations that highlight the best value opportunities for improving corporate sustainability. This innovative analytical solution helps Ford fleet customers better understand their green vehicle technology options and identify the optimal vehicle fleet for their needs.
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