FORD ANNOUNCED AS TITLE PARTNER AND OFFICIAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE SUPPLIER OF RIDELONDON

• Ford RideLondon, the world’s greatest festival of cycling, will take place in May 2023
• The sponsorship highlights Ford’s commitment to encouraging car users to choose active travel for shorter journeys and its ambitious roll-out of electric vehicles and net zero targets?
• This three-year partnership builds on the success of Ford’s role as presenting partner of RideLondon 2022.

London Marathon Events, organisers of RideLondon, announced today that Ford has become the title partner of RideLondon, the world’s greatest festival of cycling, for the next three years (2023 – 2025). The new title sponsorship builds on the success of Ford’s role as presenting partner of RideLondon in 2022.

Ford is serious about reducing carbon emissions and preserving the planet for future generations, and it is taking dramatic steps in order to do so. Ford is targeting carbon neutrality in Europe by 2035, including all of its vehicles, production facilities and supporting logistics. It also plans an ambitious roll-out of new all-electric vehicles for which sales in Europe are expected to hit 600,000 by 2026.

However, preserving the planet and building a safer, healthier world requires more than electrified vehicles - in fact sometimes it requires no vehicle at all. This is why Ford launched the Park the Car initiative, to encourage people to make healthy and informed choices about their travel habits, especially over short distances. The initiative aims to help promote active travel, ease congestion and improve air quality in cities. Walking and cycling are proven to improve both physical and mental health, as well as ease traffic congestion in built-up areas.?

Hugh Brasher, Event Director of London Marathon Events, said: “This is a landmark day in the history of RideLondon as Ford becomes the title partner of the world’s greatest festival of cycling. We worked closely with Ford earlier this year to amplify their work in promoting active travel and Ford’s innovative “Park The Car” initiative which encourages car users to cycle or walk rather than drive short journeys. We look forward to building on our very successful partnership to build active travel into everyday life.”

Tim Slatter, Chair, Ford of Britain, said: “Driving responsibly used to be a straightforward message about sensible road use, but in today’s world it means far more. Taking care of the environment is a shared responsibility and swapping just one car journey a day for active travel can reduce a person’s?daily carbon footprint by up to 84%. "

Lisa Brankin, Managing Director, Ford of Britain and Ireland, said: “Ford zero-emission vehicles is one part of our carbon reduction plan.?We also have the supporting ‘Park The Car’ initiative, promoting smart choices around which mode of transport to use – especially for short distances.?Partnering with RideLondon, the world’s greatest festival of cycling, is a clear way for us to connect with a wider audience and share the countless benefits of cycling and walking.”

Read more about Ford’s “Park The Car” initiative here ?

The sponsorship includes naming rights to all events within the Ford RideLondon festival of cycling, including:

• Ford RideLondon-Essex 100: a 100-mile challenge which starts in central London, heads into Essex and returns to central London for a spectacular finish
• Ford RideLondon-Essex 60: a mid-level ride that follows the same route as the 100-mile ride for 32 miles and then turns back to the central London finish
• Ford RideLondon 30: a mass participation ride for those just getting into cycling, starting and finishing in central London
• Ford RideLondon FreeCycle: provides people of all ages and abilities with the chance to cycle along eight miles of traffic-free roads in central London, passing some of London’s most iconic landmarks
• Ford RideLondon Classique: UCI Women’s WorldTour three-day stage race

Ford RideLondon will take place on Sunday 28 May 2023, with the Ford RideLondon Classique UCI WorldTour three-day stage race taking place on 26 – 28 May inclusive.

?For more information, visit www.ridelondon.co.uk ?