Ford Vows to Cut Energy Used to Build Vehicles 25%

Ford Motor Co., which says it has reduced energy consumption at its plants worldwide by 22% since 2006, aims to cut per-vehicle energy use by an additional 25% by 2016.

The company's factories used 2,778-kilowatt hours per vehicle last year compared with 3,576-kWh five years earlier, according to its annual sustainability report.

Ford tells Bloomberg the program is the result of many small improvements, including higher capacity utilization and more energy-efficient tools and production methods. The company expects future reductions in consumption from such measures as solar panels and lighting and paint processes that require less power.

Manufacturing accounts for about 15% of the environmental impact of a vehicle over its lifecycle, Bloomberg says, citing the Union of Concerned Scientists.