Dearborn automaker Ford is stepping up its sale of eco-friendly vehicles.  Recently, the European arm of the automaker announced that it has sold 17,500 units of flex-fuel vehicles in the continent.  The Auto Channel reported that that sales figure is for the entirety of last year.  Furthermore, the sales figure corresponds to an increase of 60 percent in FFV sales for Ford of Europe compared to its sale in 2006.

Jan Brentebraten, director, Flexifuel / Alternative Fuel Vehicles Strategy, Marketing and Sales, Ford of Europe said:  "Our European sales record in 2007 confirms that our vehicles continue to attract more and more customers to the Ford brand. And I am more than delighted that our Flexifuel vehicles are part of that success."

"We have every reason to be optimistic that our momentum will continue, as in early 2008 we will extend our existing Flexifuel range by adding three new models. Together with our brand-new Ford ECOnetic line of ultra-low CO2 conventional technology vehicles, this will give us one of the broadest ranges – and the customer a broad choice - of low CO2, yet affordable vehicles in Europe," added Brentebraten.

Flex fuel vehicles are those automobiles equipped with an engine designed to run on either gasoline or alternative fuel such as E85.  The distinct advantage of using these engines is that they can be non-dependent on fossil fuel which we all known is non-renewable. On the other hand, ethanol is produced from the starch of plants such as corn.  Although burning ethanol still produces carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, experts are saying that this carbon dioxide produced is offset by the amount of carbon dioxide that plants absorb, plants which are then used to produce bio-ethanol.