A GLOBE-Net Interview with John Viera, Global Director of Sustainability & Vehicle Environmental Matters, Ford Motor Company, USA

GLOBE-Net, February 6, 2012 - As Global Director of Sustainability and Vehicle Environmental Matters at Ford Motor Company, John Viera is responsible for developing global sustainable business plans and policies, interfacing with global regulatory bodies, reporting externally on the company's environmental and social performance, and leading the company's engagement and partnerships with non-government organizations (NGOs) and other external stakeholders. He comes well prepared for this challenging task. 

Mr. Viera has held several positions in the Ford Motor Company during the 27 year tenure before being named to his current position.  He started in the company's Truck Division with responsibilities that included leading company efforts in the development of its first natural gas-fueled pickup trucks.

Later as Manager of the Plant Engineering Vehicle Team, Explorer, and Mountaineer programs, he was responsible for all on-site engineering for Explorer plants in Louisville, St. Louis, Missouri, and Valencia, Venezuela. In 2002, he took on the company's mid-term cost reduction initiative, building a team that delivered $1.2 billion in savings in just eighteen months.  

He currently serves on the advisory boards at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, the Graham Institute of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Michigan, the Transportation Resource Board of the National Academies in Washington DC, and the Energy Advisory Committee at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

In this exclusive GLOBE-Net interview John Viera discusses his participation at the GLOBE 2012 Conference (taking place March 14-16 in Vancouver, Canada) where he will speak on Energy Efficiency and Alternative Power: Innovative Approaches for Business, and what drives sustainability at the Ford Motor Company

GN:  What inspired you to become involved in working with Ford and its sustainability initiatives?

JV: About five years ago, Sue Cischke, Group Vice President, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, asked me to join the sustainability team.   At the time, I'd been working at Ford for 23 years in operations, and it sounded like a really cool challenge as sustainability was an area that was just starting to get recognition.   It was also a great chance to apply my operational expertise in a new area and I jumped at the opportunity.

GN:  Let's talk a little more about energy efficient vehicles. How do you see the roll-out of electric vehicles (EV) impacting the automobile industry in North America?

JV:  In the near term, the biggest impact we can have is in improving the fuel economy of the biggest volume of our vehicles - that's why we have EcoBoost (which increases fuel economy up to 20 per cent while reducing CO2 emissions by up to 15 per cent).  We've introduced the Ford Escape Hybrid, Fusion Hybrid, and Transit Connect Electric, and Canadians will see the Ford Focus Electric launched this spring.

The real impact of EVs will be that eventually, electric vehicles will have to represent the majority of vehicles on the road.  As an industry we need to plan for the future, we can't just flip the switch in 15 years and start to produce significant volumes of EVs, and Ford knew we needed to start sooner rather than later.  We are all working to raise customer awareness of EVs and, as an industry, we are working to refine these technologies. 

GN:  What do you consider to be the largest barrier to the widespread adoption of EVs by consumers in North America?

JV:  Price - at the end of the day that's what consumers look at.  Affordability is currently the biggest barrier to the widespread adoption of EVs.  When customers look at vehicles with different technologies and features, it all comes down to what they can afford.

GN:  Hybrid and electric vehicles are seen by some consumers as less capable in performance and often impractical; do you agree with this opinion?

JV:  I disagree, the reason being that each individual is different and you have to define what the customer needs from their vehicle.  At Ford, we're focused on the Power of Choice, which includes a range of EVs as well as fuel-efficient gasoline options.  For all vehicles, we strive for maximum fuel efficiency.  For example, if you were looking for a great urban commuter vehicle, an all-electric vehicle would make a great choice.  On the flipside, if you need a more capable vehicle, for instance to tow or carry heavy loads, an EV wouldn't make sense; but a vehicle with an EcoBoost engine (like the Ford F-150 or Ford Explorer) would be a great fit.  It really all depends on your needs.

GN:  Ford has many competitors also investing in and capitalizing on the EV technology opportunities; what is Ford doing to set itself apart from its competitors in this area?

JV:  Our approach is to develop global platforms of high volume vehicles, rather than one-off electrified vehicles.  For example, the gasoline Focus produced in Asia is on the same platform as our diesel Focus in Europe, our biofuel Focus in Brazil, and our Focus Electric and C-Max Energi PHEV [plug-in hybrid electric vehicle] that will be produced in the United States for North America. 

By building off of global platforms, we are able to take advantage of economies of scale - i.e. all the doors are the same on the various Focus versions. This translates to lower costs for us and better affordability for our customers.  Also, building our electric vehicles in the same plants as the traditional gasoline version also gives us flexibility in production, so we can adjust the mix of vehicles to follow customer demand. 

GN:  Outside of its vehicle technology research and development, is Ford involved in other energy efficiency initiatives within its operations?

JV:  Yes, we have been focusing a lot on the manufacturing process.  A great example of our progress is happening in Canada at the Oakville Assembly Complex, which is turning emissions into a source of "green" energy.  The Fumes-to-Fuel system is an eco-friendly, industry-leading pollution-control system that converts emissions from the plant's paint shop into electricity to help power the plant.

GN:  Can you tell us about some of Ford's latest initiatives designed to harness the potential of alternative power?

JV:  We always look for efficiencies in our operations and are also looking to use more non-traditional energy sources.  A great example is our Dagenham Plant in the UK, where we produce diesel engines - this plant is 100 per cent wind powered.  Our Michigan Assembly plant has one of the largest solar arrays in that state which helps to power the production of Ford's new Focus and Focus Electric, as well as the C-MAX Energi and C-MAX Hybrid.

GN:  How has Ford embraced sustainability as a company since the major shake-up of the automobile industry in North America in 2008-2009?

JV:  You know it's very interesting; Bill Ford kicked off our Sustainability Office in January 2000.  Even before the shake-up, we recognized we needed to do a better job of producing smaller vehicles and increasing fuel efficiency across our line-up.   When the shake-up did occur, we were well positioned with a full portfolio of fuel efficient vehicles, including electrified and EcoBoost technologies. 

GN:  Can you tell us a little bit about what new, environmentally-conscious products and/or technologies Ford will introduce into the market in the near future?

JV: We are proud of our global platform strategy and the fact that we are accelerating the offerings of EVs, as this will bring even more choice to our customers.  In addition to our current Fusion Hybrid and soon to be arriving Ford Focus Electric, we've announced the new Ford Fusion Energi (PHEV - plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), Ford C-MAX Energi (PHEV), and Ford C-MAX Hybrid.

GN:  What message do you hope to bring to the very international audience at the GLOBE 2012 Conference ?

JV:  I want to talk about the Ford strategy and our approach to advanced technologies, and the use of alternative energy not only to drive our vehicles but also our manufacturing process.  I also look forward to talk about the business case for sustainability.

Energy Efficiency and Alternative Power: Innovative Approaches for Business

As new technologies emerge and become increasingly cost competitive, many companies are taking aggressive steps to improve their energy efficiency and find new, alternative forms of energy to power their business operations. How are companies financing these shifts and what is the ROI on the efforts? Hear from companies who are minimizing the business risks surrounding a reliance on fossil-fuels by adopting innovative approaches to energy efficiency and power use.

Confirmed Participants:

James Tansey, Executive Director of ISIS Research Centre at UBC Sauder School of Business & CEO, Offsetters, Canada (Moderator)

Christopher Smith, Director, Sustainable Operations Practice, DuPont Sustainable Solutions, USA 

John Viera, Director of Sustainability & Vehicle Environmental Matters, Ford Motor Company, USA 

Lorie Wigle, General Manager, Eco-Technology Program Office, Intel Corporation & President, Climate Savers Computing Initiative, USA