Ford Motor Company has met its goal to reduce manufacturing CO₂ emissions eight years ahead of schedule. The goal, set in 2010, aimed to reduce the company’s global carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing operations by 30% per vehicle produced by 2025.

As described in its 19^th annual Sustainability Report, Ford hit the target twice as fast as expected. The results are significant, with a global manufacturing CO₂ emissions reduction of more than 3.4 million metric tons from 2010 to 2017—equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions from more than 728,000 passenger vehicles driven for one year.

We are proud of the work we have done to achieve this goal. We’ve made several improvements to our manufacturing operations—from the lighting we use to plant consolidations—all of which played a role in dramatically reducing our CO₂ footprint.

—Bruce Hettle, group vice president, manufacturing and labor affairs

Ford reduced its emissions footprint through energy conservation and efficiency changes at Ford’s manufacturing facilities, such as installing more than 100,000 LED light fixtures and updating paint operations.

Painting operations use a large amount of energy. Introducing technology that allows wet-on-wet paint application and eliminates a drying oven, in more plants has significantly decreased energy use while maintaining quality.

—Andy Hobbs, director, environmental quality office

Minimum Quantity Lubrication is another energy-reducing technology. In MQL, a machining tool is lubricated with a very small amount of oil sprayed directly on the tip of the tool in a finely atomized mist, instead of with a large quantity of coolant/water mixture.

Ford now is working on setting a new goal focused on increasing it use of renewable energy while maintaining its energy efficiencies.

Ford also remains focused on reducing vehicle emissions. The company is continuing on its course of $11 billion to put 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicle models on the road by 2022.

In addition to reaching the company’s goal of reducing manufacturing greenhouse gas emissions 32%, Ford makes around 300 parts from renewable materials, with eight sustainable materials featured in production vehicles: soy, wheat, rice, castor, kenaf (hibiscus), tree cellulose, jute and coconut.

By using less energy, less waste and moving away from the use of fossil fuels, the company has achieved a 228 million pound reduction in CO₂ since the switch to soybean-based foam in 2011—the equivalent to the carbon capture by four million trees in one year.