Dubbed the Ford Fleet Purchase Planner, the tool enables customers to build a fleet of Ford vehicles, factoring in environmental concerns, individual driving habits of employees and terrain travelled. The planner then calculates the fleet’s environmental impact and cost, with buyers able to change the line-up until the mix meets their goals.

‘The one-size-fits-all approach is outdated,’ said John Ginder, manager of systems analytics and environmental sciences, Ford research and advanced engineering. ‘Given what can now be done with analytics, customers shouldn’t settle for buying one vehicle for an entire fleet based on factors such as projected use or miles per gallon.’

‘This level of individualised customer service is exactly why we continue to invest in analytics and big data,’ he added.

The tool has already been put to use by escalator and elevator manufacturing specialist KONE, which used the Ford Fleet Purchase Planner to develop a plan to replace its fleet of 160 Ford Fusion cars with new Fusion Hybrid vehicles by 2018. The move is expected to reduce KONE’s carbon emissions output by 850 metric tons annually whilst also saving it money.

‘We are proud to continue to do our part to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help provide our employees with a safe, reliable vehicle to travel to site locations,’ said Adam Judd, KONE sourcing director, Americas.