2000 Ford Excursion
Ford produced a fleet of 24 liquefied petroleum
gas (LPG) Excursions and is placing them in 20 cities around the
country
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Ford to begin testing propane-powered
Excursion
DEARBORN, Mich., May 5, 2000 -- Ford Motor Company began delivering
a propane-powered version of the Ford Excursion to about twenty
companies nationwide that will test and evaluate the vehicles
for fleet use.
Ford produced a fleet of 24 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
Excursions and is placing them in twenty cities around the country
for customers to use for a year. The fleet will help Ford test
emission-control technology and determine if there is market
demand for the vehicle.
The LPG Excursion is the first propane-powered vehicle to
meet California's super ultra low-emission vehicle (SULEV) standard.
By pairing the clean-burning characteristics of propane with
a Ford-patented advanced catalyst system and innovative engine
control strategy, Ford was able to achieve emissions that are
at least 62 percent less than what is required by law. Additionally,
the LPG Excursion uses a fast warm-up exhaust system to heat
the catalyst - significantly reducing the high level of hydrocarbon
emissions produced during the first two minutes from a cold start.
"This demonstration fleet will be a great program,"
said Dave Tarrant, Alternative Fuel Vehicle and Commercial Truck
marketing manager, Ford Motor Company. "We hope that each
of our demonstration program participants find a unique way to
test this vehicle to make sure it meets the needs of all our
North American fleet customers."
"For example, the Pike's Peak Highway Ranger Patrol Program
in Colorado will be testing three Excursions on the extreme inclines
of Pike's Peak. The vehicles will be used for first-response
medical assistance and highway traffic patrol," Tarrant
added.
Hans D. Schalk, Pike's Peak manager, is extremely excited
to be a part of the program and have the opportunity to use the
sport utility vehicles for a year.
"We are really looking forward to receiving the Excursions,"
said Schalk. "Our rangers need vehicles that are reliable
and require minimal service but can also handle a large payload.
They have to have the ability to carry a lot of gear to assist
motorists and hikers, and the vehicles may encounter a variety
of weather from hot summer days to blizzard conditions."
Other groups participating in the test program include the
Denver area Boy Scouts; Utah LP Gas, Inc. in Salt Lake City;
the Department of Public Works in Louisville, Ky.; the National
Propane Gas Association in Chicago; and the Port of Portland
Aviation Airfield in Portland, Ore.
Equipped with a 6.8-liter V-10 engine, the propane-powered
Excursion has the same performance characteristics of the base
gasoline model. Two fuel tanks with a capacity of nearly 40 gallons
give the vehicle a driving range of about 250 miles between refills.
Since the 1999 model year, all Ford sport utility vehicles
and Windstar minivan sold in the U.S and Canada have been low
emission vehicles (LEV). Last year, Ford announced that all 2000
model year F-Series pickups and Excursion would also be LEV.
In the 2000 model year, Ford will put more than two million LEVs
on the road annually in North America - far in advance of any
regulatory requirements.
In addition to low emissions, the conventional gasoline-powered
Excursion has many other environmentally responsible attributes
including a high recyclable content and the use of recycled materials.
More than 85 percent of each Excursion by weight can be recycled
at the end of its automotive life, and nearly one-fifth of the
vehicle is made of recycled materials including steel, aluminum,
rubber and plastics.
Comments from several fleet operators receiving the vehicles
from around the country are listed below:
Denver area Boy Scouts
Richard Fisher, Director of Field Services for the Denver area
Boy Scouts, is anxiously anticipating the arrival of his group's
Ford LPG Excursion. The Urban Boy Scout program serves the city
of Denver and six surrounding counties and reaches approximately
3,000 scouts. Fisher estimates about 15 to 20 percent of these
scouts will participate in programs involving the Excursion.
Fisher says the vehicle will be excellent for camping and field
trips as well as public awareness projects like parades and local
displays.
Not only is Fisher happy to have a vehicle capable of transporting
scouts and their gear to various areas where they may encounter
poor weather or rough terrain, he is also excited about the vehicle's
low emissions benefits.
"Air pollution is a big issue in the Denver area. Our
scouting program focuses on conservation and energy education
and I think a vehicle like this will be an excellent tool to
incorporate in our existing program," said Fisher.
Utah LP Gas, Inc.
Utah LP Gas, Inc. recently received a LPG Excursion and is using
it to show the public the benefits of propane-powered vehicles.
Richard Burgston, president of Utah LP Gas, Inc., has been offering
local businesses and groups a chance to test drive the vehicle
for a week and said he has all ready received a lot of positive
feedback, especially regarding the power and stability of the
vehicle.
Department of Public Works in Louisville
The Department of Public Works in Louisville is receiving two
LPG Excursions to use for a year. One will be used for the city's
Operation Brightside program and the Metro Parks and Recreation
Department will use the other. The Operation Brightside program
is a thriving force in the community aimed at environmental beautification
and cleanup efforts as well as school and community education
programs. The group will use the vehicle to haul equipment to
and from work sites and also to display at public awareness programs.
Representatives from Operation Brightside say they are thrilled
to have been chosen to participate in this program. A clean environment
is one of the group's biggest goals and the low emission-producing
LPG Excursion is an excellent vehicle to help achieve that.
National Propane Gas Association in Chicago, Ill.
The National Propane Gas Association in Chicago, Ill., will use
their Excursion to transport visitors around the city and to
deliver packages and materials needed by the association. Officials
of the group are extremely excited about having the chance to
try out one of these vehicles for a year.
"Propane is a cleaner burning fuel than gasoline so it
offers an alternative to powering vehicles without sacrificing
driving performance," said Dan Myers, Executive Vice President
and General Manager.
Port of Portland Aviation Airfield
The Port of Portland plans to use their LPG Excursion as an aviation
airfield operations vehicle. Larry Medearis, Senior Manager of
Aviation Maintenance and Facilities is anxious to add another
alternative fuel vehicle to his fleet while gaining a vehicle
that offers more space to carry equipment and passengers. |