It seems that auto makers are working harder to be more environmentally conscious, and Ford is no exception. Regardless of whether or not you view the move as a publicity stunt or not, the fact is that the Ford Focus Electric is one of the most environmentally friendly cars we’ve seen to date.

Starting in 2010, with the 2011 model year, Ford used recycled carpet in plastic engine components in their Ford F-150, Mustang and Ford Focus vehicles. Using EcoLon Material, Ford saved more than 4.1 million pounds of carpet from landfills – just in 2010 alone. The carpet is recycled into a plastic resin and will be used as cylinder head gasket covers on the 2012 Ford Focus Electric. This amounted to more than 985,000 yards of carpet being re-used.

Brett Hinds, Ford’s manager of engine design, says ‘Ford has found a way to bring green applications to a new unique location on our [Ford Focus Electric]’

The carpet fibers are ground up and turned into a high quality resin, which is then injection molded into cylinder head covers. Ford is looking for other places to use this recycled  carpet resin on the Ford Focus Electric and other vehicles in the 2012 model year.