About the Ford Focus PZEV

About the

Ford Focus PZEV

Note: This covered the 2004 model. Unfortunately, Ford isn't offering a PZEV Focus in all 50 states in the 2005 model. But you should be able to find a used 2004 if you're interested.

The Ford Focus with the 2.3 liter engine (designated Duratec 23E) deserves special mention. It's available in all 50 states, but it's a clean design intended to meet California's tough emission standards. Most car manufacturers don't offer their cleanest vehicles except in the states that require them. But Ford has done a great thing by offering the PZEV Focus in all 50 states. PZEV stands for "Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle".

With hybrids like the Toyota Prius having waiting lists of up to 10 months to buy one, and dealers charging as much as $5,000 over list price for them, it's nice to have other options. The Focus won't get as good gas mileage as a similar size hybrid, but it's about as clean. The concept of a PZEV is that it emits no more pollution than a power plant generates to recharge an electric car’s battery.

A PZEV like the Focus emits only about one pound of smog-forming pollution over 15,000 miles of driving. By comparison, a vehicle certified to the Tier 1 standard emits about 30 pounds over the same distance.

Please note that it's just the 2.3 liter version of the Focus that is super clean. Other engines offered on this model don't have these low emission levels.

This represents an important change in car manufacturer's marketing. Hopefully a lot more low emission vehicles will be available nationwide soon.

Good job, Ford!

You can look up the emissions of vehicles since 2000 at EPA's Green Vehicle Guide