Ford recycles enough aluminium to build 30,000 F-150 bodies every month

Ford Motor Co says the toughest, smartest, most capable and safest F-150 ever is also the greenest F-150 – thanks to advanced materials like high-strength, military-grade aluminium alloy and EcoBoost engine technology.

The American carmaker recycles as much as 20 million pounds of aluminium stamping scrap per month using the closed-loop system at Dearborn Truck Plant, which builds the F-150. That is the equivalent of more than 30,000 F-150 bodies in the largest configuration – a SuperCrew body including doors, plus hood, tailgate and 6.5-foot cargo box.

Opting for aluminium over steel in new automobile construction is the best way to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, according to Oak Ridge National Lab.

Recycled aluminium avoids 95 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with primary aluminium production. It uses significantly less energy and water – another reason Ford F-150 leads the full-size truck pack in terms of lifetime carbon footprint, according to Automotive Science Group.

Weight savings from aluminium alloy helps the F-150 reduce its lifetime emissions compared to the previous steel-body version. Between 30 per cent and 40 per cent of a typical aluminium coil is turned into scrap in the stamping process.

This is recycled into new metal for the truck using the closed-loop system. When equipped with the available 2.7-litre EcoBoost with standard Auto Start-Stop technology, F-150 4x2 has best-in-class EPA-estimated petrol fuel economy ratings of 19mpg/8kpl city, 26mpg/11kpl highway and 22mpg/9.35kpl combined (actual mileage will vary).