What is the carbon footprint of Ford?
Ford’s carbon footprint is dominated by emissions in its value chain and the use of its vehicles, rather than only its own factory operations. In Ford’s latest publicly released data for 2023, total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are about 150 million metric tons CO2e per year, with roughly 23 million metric tons CO2e from Scope 1 and 2 operations and about 127 million metric tons CO2e from Scope 3 (the broader value chain).
This article explains how Ford measures its footprint, what the numbers mean, and how the company is working to reduce its impact. It covers the three GHG scopes Ford reports, the main sources within each scope, and the actions Ford has undertaken to lower emissions as it pursues its long-term climate goals.
What counts as Ford’s carbon footprint
To understand Ford’s footprint, it helps to know how emissions are categorized. Ford reports GHG emissions in three scopes that align with international reporting standards. Each scope captures different sources of emissions associated with Ford’s business activities.
Scopes explained
Scope 1 includes direct emissions from Ford-owned or controlled sources, such as factories, mining sites, and company-owned fleets. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the electricity, heat, and steam Ford purchases to power its operations. Scope 3 encompasses all other indirect emissions in Ford’s value chain, including emissions from suppliers, vehicle use by customers, logistics, end-of-life disposal, and business travel. In many large manufacturing companies, Scope 3 is by far the largest portion of the footprint because it covers emissions generated during the production of parts, distribution, and the use phase of Ford vehicles by customers.
Latest figures and targets
The following figures reflect Ford’s most recent published data for the 2023 year. They illustrate the breakdown between direct operations and the broader value chain, as well as Ford’s ambition to reduce its climate impact over time.
Breakdown of Ford’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by scope (latest year)
- Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions: about 23 million metric tons CO2e
- Scope 3 emissions: about 127 million metric tons CO2e
Together, these figures place Ford’s total emissions around 150 million metric tons CO2e for the 2023 reporting year, with the vast majority coming from the value chain (Scope 3). This is in line with the pattern seen across large automakers where customer use and upstream supplier activities dominate the footprint. Ford frames these numbers as a call to action for both internal efficiency gains and broader supply-chain decarbonization.
Key drivers within Scope 3
Within Scope 3, several categories account for the lion’s share of emissions. Understanding these drivers helps illuminate where Ford is focusing its decarbonization efforts.
Major Scope 3 drivers include the following sources:
- Vehicle use phase: emissions from customers driving Ford vehicles, including fuel consumption and, for electric vehicles, electricity consumption during charging in real-world use
- Upstream supplier manufacturing: emissions from the production of parts, components, and materials Ford buys from suppliers
- Logistics and distribution: transportation of parts to Ford facilities and finished vehicles to dealers and customers
- End-of-life and recycling: emissions associated with vehicle disposal, recycling, and repurposing at end of life
- Other indirect activities: business travel, employee commuting, and certain other ancillary activities tied to Ford’s operations
This breakdown shows that even with efficiency gains in manufacturing, the emissions embedded in the products Ford sells and the activities of its broader value chain remain the dominant part of the carbon footprint.
Ford’s actions to reduce its footprint
Ford has publicly outlined a strategy to reduce GHG emissions and move toward net-zero by mid-century, with interim milestones designed to accelerate change across both its operations and its supply chain. The actions span electrification, manufacturing efficiency, supplier engagement, and consumer-use efficiencies.
- Electrification and product portfolio: expanding the mix of electrified vehicles, including hybrids and battery-electric models, to reduce per-vehicle emissions during the use phase
- Manufacturing efficiency: improving plant energy efficiency, upgrading equipment, and increasing renewable energy sourcing for factories
- Supply-chain decarbonization: working with suppliers to reduce upstream emissions and increase transparency across the value chain
- Logistics optimization: reducing emissions from transportation and distribution through smarter routing and lower-emission modes
- End-of-life and circularity: improving recycling rates and materials recovery to lower life-cycle emissions
Ford positions these efforts within its broader climate goals, including a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 and interim targets to steadily reduce emissions intensity and absolute emissions across its operations and value chain.
Summary
Ford’s carbon footprint is substantial largely because of Scope 3 emissions tied to its value chain and the use of its vehicles. The latest published numbers place total emissions around 150 million metric tons CO2e for 2023, with roughly 23 million from direct operations and about 127 million from the broader value chain. The company emphasizes lowering emissions through a combination of vehicle electrification, manufacturing efficiency, supply-chain decarbonization, and improved logistics. As Ford progresses toward its net-zero goal by 2050, its annual reporting will continue to show how much progress comes from changes in suppliers, product use, and end-of-life management, alongside improvements at Ford plants themselves.
Which car has the biggest carbon footprint?
The luxury sports car brand Bugatti received the highest NEDC with an average of 0.52 kg/km — much higher than any other brand. In second place was Rolls Royce with 0.35 kg/km, followed by Lamborghini and Ferrari with similar NEDC data. But vehicles don't have to be expensive to produce high levels of pollution.
Is Ford environmentally friendly?
Sustainable Materials and Recycling
Ford is committed to using sustainable materials and improving the recyclability of its vehicles to reduce waste and conserve natural resources. Recycled Materials: Ford is incorporating more recycled and renewable materials into its vehicles.
Is Ford really losing money on EVs?
Yes, Ford has been losing money on its electric vehicles, with the EV division reporting billions in losses for recent years. The company lost approximately $5.1 billion on EVs in 2024 and is forecasting similar losses for 2025. Factors contributing to these losses include high costs for its first-generation EVs and lower-than-anticipated sales, though the company is working on cost-reduction strategies.
Key details on Ford's EV losses:
- Total losses: Ford lost about $4.7 billion on EVs in 2023 and $5.1 billion in 2024, with cumulative losses since 2023 reaching $13 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal.
- Per-vehicle loss: In 2024, Ford lost an estimated $52,113 on each EV it sold, Robert Bryce | Substack reports.
- 2025 forecast: Ford projects it will lose another $5 billion or more on its EV and software operations in 2025.
- Reasons for losses: High development and manufacturing costs for its first-generation EVs (known as Gen 1) are a major factor, exacerbated by pricing pressures and lower-than-expected sales for some models like the F-150 Lightning.
- Future strategy: In response, Ford is shifting to lower-cost materials and a new generation of EVs to reduce costs and become more competitive. The company has also considered discontinuing the electric F-150 Lightning due to poor sales, notes The Wall Street Journal.
What is the #1 polluter on planet Earth?
China is the world's #1 polluter by total greenhouse gas emissions. However, when considering per capita emissions, the United States is a larger polluter than China. Other major polluters are the United States and India, and collectively, China, the United States, India, and the European Union are responsible for a majority of global emissions.
- China: Accounts for about one-third of total global emissions and is the largest annual emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2cap C cap O sub 2𝐶𝑂2).
- United States: Is the second-largest emitter of CO2cap C cap O sub 2𝐶𝑂2 and has a significantly higher per capita emissions rate than China.
- India: Ranks as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
- Collective Polluters: Together, China, the United States, India, and the European Union are responsible for 83% of total global emissions.
