Ford's F-150 EcoBoost Challenge truck. Image: Ford
Ford is having no trouble selling its V-6 EcoBoost equipped F-150 pickups, but that doesn’t mean the automaker will stop promoting the truck or the fuel economy it achieves. Its latest Facebook-based social media blitz is called the “Ford F-150 EcoBoost Challenge,” and it’s a contest where not only the entrants win.
The rules are simple: eight drivers, representing eight cities, will compete in a week-long fuel economy challenge. During the first five days, real-world driving will be monitored by Ford's CrewChief data logging system, installed in each EcoBoost F-150 pickup. On the final day, entrants will use their trucks to complete a community service project, and winners will be chosen based on a blended score combining fuel economy, Facebook votes and the number of volunteers recruited for the community service project.
The contest winner gets a year’s supply of Shell gasoline, but residents of the victorious city win, too. On September 2, for 2 hours and 22 minutes (a nod to the EcoBoost F-150’s 22 mpg highway fuel economy), two Shell gas stations in the winning city will pump free gas for residents, up to 15 gallons per vehicle.
If you live in Louisville, KY; Pittsburgh, PA; Houston, TX; San Diego, CA; Orlando, FL; Denver, CO; Kansas City, MO or Raleigh-Durham, NC, you may want to follow the contest on Ford’s Facebook page and vote for your local team. Gas prices have been coming down lately, but free gas still beats less expensive gas in our book.
[Ford]
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