MyEnergi Lifestyle Contest Offers Home Energy Makeover, Ford C-MAX Energi - Featured on 'Katie' Show

DEARBORN, Mich., May 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

• Ford-led MyEnergi Lifestyle^® retrofit contest demonstrates how a typical American family can achieve energy and cost savings by easily moving to an energy-efficient lifestyle
• National contest now open and runs through June 9. Winner to receive a package that includes a Ford C-MAX Energi – America's most affordable plug-in hybrid vehicle, Whirlpool brand appliances, SunPower solar power system, Eaton charging station and other energy-saving products
• Families could see up to a 60 percent reduction in energy costs and savings of more than 9,000 kilograms of CO₂ – a reduction of 55 percent – in their home

Ford and the MyEnergi Lifestyle^® initiative have kicked off the MyEnergi Lifestyle retrofit contest with Katie Couric on her syndicated talk show "Katie." Homeowners can enter this national contest for a chance to win a package that includes a Ford C-MAX Energi – America's most affordable plug-in hybrid vehicle, new Whirlpool brand appliances, a SunPower solar power system and other home products designed to bring energy-efficient living to a typical American family.

The contest is now open and runs through June 9, with the grand prize winner to be announced this summer.

Through the MyEnergi Lifestyle initiative, Ford is bringing together leaders in the home appliance, renewable energy and power management industries – including Eaton, SunPower and Whirlpool. Additional featured companies are semiconductor provider Infineon and Nest Labs.

The group worked with researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology to create a computer model that calculates the electricity usage of a typical family in their home for one year, and the potential savings associated with moving to an energy-efficient lifestyle.

As Americans' thirst for energy grows, recent advancements in technology make this the ideal time to demonstrate the benefits of optimizing a family's energy footprint. Along with 729 gallons of gasoline and 122,000 cubic feet of natural gas, the average home in America uses more than 11,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a year; in 1930, the figure was 500 kilowatt-hours. That's an increase of 2,100 percent.

Home appliances have made huge gains in reducing energy usage. Today, the typical smart appliance, like a refrigerator, uses 70 percent less energy than one built in 1980.

"We're very excited to offer the MyEnergi Lifestyle retrofit to our winning families and to put it to the test," says Mike Tinskey, Ford global director of vehicle electrification and infrastructure. "By combining a Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid vehicle, smart energy-efficient appliances and renewable energy generation, we hope to reduce the families' energy consumption and save them money.

"Our computer models suggest we're looking at a 60 percent reduction in energy costs and a 55 percent reduction in CO₂ annually for these families through the retrofit," he adds.

How MyEnergi Lifestyle works
MyEnergi Lifestyle shows how a typical American family can significantly reduce their electricity bills and CO₂ footprint by integrating today's plug-in vehicle technology, smart home appliances and solar energy. MyEnergi Lifestyle works by leveraging technology so key energy-consuming devices in a home use less energy, while also shifting energy usage to less expensive periods. At night, for example, when energy costs are lower, a smart refrigerator can perform high-energy tasks like ice making or defrosting – just as Ford's plug-in vehicles do with recharging.

If every home in the United States were to implement the energy-saving technologies MyEnergi Lifestyle incorporates, it would be the equivalent of taking all the homes in California, New York and Texas – 32 million homes – off the power grid.

Along with the contest launch, during a special Mother's Day show Friday, May 10, "Katie" also surprised a member of its studio audience with her own MyEnergi Lifestyle home retrofit. Susan Berry, a substitute teacher from Ventura, Calif., was the lucky winner. "Oh man, this is fantastic," said Berry. "Now we can give our 15-year-old Ford pickup to my son, my husband can take my Ford Escape and I'll have the C-MAX Energi!" Check out Berry's reaction to the surprise here: http://www.katiecouric.com/videos/katies-biggest-giveaway-ever/.

Write this way to a retrofit
To enter the MyEnergi Lifestyle retrofit contest, applicants will need to submit an essay of 400 words or less explaining how adding solar power and switching to smart, energy-efficient appliances and a plug-in hybrid vehicle could benefit their family.

Representatives of the MyEnergi Lifestyle initiative will serve as judges for the essays, and their determination of a family most deserving of the grand prize will help decide the winner.

For more information on the contest, including eligibility rules and to enter for a chance to win, click here for the "Katie" website: http://www.katiecouric.com/features/win-ford-hybrid-car-whirlpool-smart-appliances/.

The grand prize package includes:

• 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi; with a starting price of $29,995, C-MAX Energi is America's most affordable plug-in hybrid vehicle
• Eaton solar inverter, solar-ready load center with home surge protection
• Eaton electric vehicle supply equipment and generator
• Five-kilowatt high-efficiency SunPower system that can produce about 8,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually
• Nest learning thermostat
• Powerhouse dynamic eMonitor for energy monitoring
• Whirlpool brand smart dishwasher, smart washer and dryer combination, smart refrigerator, hybrid heat pump water heater and more

Building on the trend of sustainable living and the next generation of net-zero home design, Ford also recently announced MyEnergi Lifestyle products will be featured in KB Home's ZeroHouse 2.0 in San Marcos, Calif., and in other markets where this energy-efficient home is sold. The agreement between these two innovative leaders further showcases a growing trend where the typical American family can save money while reducing their impact on the environment by combining mainstream home appliance technology with an affordable plug-in hybrid vehicle and a renewable energy power source.

More information about Ford's electrified vehicle lineup can be found here.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 175,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

About 'Katie'
This past September, "Katie," a new daytime talk show hosted by award-winning journalist, best-selling author and television personality Katie Couric, premiered in national syndication. Broadcasting from New York City in front of a studio audience, the timely and topical daytime program blends entertainment, information and stories of the day in a format that is engaging, compelling and interesting. Katie explores what's going on in the world, using her personal experience and insight to get to the heart of what matters most to viewers. The show includes powerful segments and thoughtful interviews with newsmakers, celebrities, and everyday people who have extraordinary stories to tell. Airing in over 96% of the U.S., "Katie" is distributed by Disney-ABC Domestic Television and is executive produced by Katie Couric and Michael Morrison. Co-executive producers are Kathy Samuels, Matt Strauss and Ethan Nelson.

About Eaton
Eaton is a diversified power management company providing energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power. The company is a global technology leader in electrical products, systems and services for power quality, distribution and control, power transmission, lighting and wiring products; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton acquired Cooper Industries plc in 2012. Eaton has approximately 100,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.

About SunPower
SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) designs, manufactures and delivers the highest efficiency, highest reliability solar panels and systems available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company's quarter century of experience and guaranteed performance to provide maximum return on investment throughout the life of the solar system. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

About Whirlpool brand
Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $18 billion in 2012, 68,000 employees and 65 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. We advance technology to the point of simplicity. Creating innovations that are forward-thinking for what we choose to put in – and what we don't. Great design that fits seamlessly into life. In addition to designing appliance solutions based on consumer insight, Whirlpool is one of Habitat for Humanity's largest corporate partners, donating a refrigerator and range to every new Habitat for Humanity home built in North America. For more information on Whirlpool Brand, please visit www.whirlpool.com or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whirlpoolusa. Additional information about the company can be found at www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

About Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the world's premier research universities. Ranked seventh among U.S. News & World Report's top public universities, the Institute enrolls 21,500 students within its six colleges. Georgia Tech is the nation's leading producer of engineers as well as a leading producer of female and minority engineering Ph.D. graduates. Holding more than 848 patents and receiving approximately $689 million in research and development expenditures, Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top ten universities (without a medical school) in research expenditures. Visit www.gatech.edu for more information.

About Infineon
Infineon Technologies AG, Neubiberg, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions addressing three central challenges to modern society: energy efficiency, mobility, and security. In the 2012 fiscal year (ending September 30), the Company reported sales of Euro 3.9 billion with close to 26,700 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY).

SOURCE Ford Motor Company