Ford EcoGuide Helps Commercial Fleets Save on Fuel Costs
EcoGuide uses GPS to help drivers to save fuel along the way, Ford Transit will be the first to use it.
When it comes to making deliveries, companies want to make sure all goes as smooth, quick, and efficiently as possible to protect as much of their bottom line. With fuel prices always in flux, the easiest way to keep costs down is to leave the lead feet at home. As always, though, more could be done in this regard.
For British companies ready to order new Transits for their fleets, Ford of Europe has the perfect solution for them: their brand new Ford EcoGuide.
“Everyone has experienced occasions when we have to brake suddenly if a bend is tighter than expected, only to speed up again afterwards,” said Transit chief program engineer Michael McDonagh. “EcoGuide will help avoid this, saving drivers fuel, time and stress.”
Arriving in Transit, Transit Custom, and Tourneo Custom vans in the middle of 2019, the EcoGuide uses the vans’ GPS to not only encourage delivery drivers to gently accelerate, but also to slow down at the right time in given situations, thus avoiding hard braking, followed by quick acceleration.
The EcoGuide can see what the road is like up ahead, from downhill grades to upcoming speed limits, then inform the driver via icons on the instrument panel to slow down ahead of time while also choosing the right gear for the situation. The system can also provide encouragement of good driving habits with a “halo” around the digital speedometer, growing in size the better the driver performs.
The new Transits gain more fuel efficiency with powertrains like the EcoBlue Hybrid diesel, which gives the van as much as 3 percent improved fuel economy compared to a standard diesel. Plus, it can carry more loads in the back, and with FordPass Connect, help those handling logistics improve fleet utilization and running costs.
While the British market will enjoy saving pounds at the pump with Ford’s new EcoGuide, there’s no word on when or if U.S. Transits and other fleet vehicles will receive the same tech.
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