Much of today’s drive for cleaner, more efficient engines has focused around either attaching an electric motor to an engine to take over some of the powertrain requirements, these are known as Hybrids (famously seen in the Toyota Prius), or efficiency gains on turbochargin diesel engines, where most carmakers have found significant increases in fuel efficiency and reductions in CO2 emissions are possible – Ford’s current EcoNetic range is based on fuel efficient diesel units.
Now at the Frankfurt Motor Show Ford has announced a new family of petrol engines offering the opportunity to down size engine capacity without suffering a reduction in performance. In fact, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are reduced by up to 20 per cent compared to a conventional petrol engine.
This improvement is thanks to a combination of new technologies that the carmaker has introduced into this range. Featuring direct petrol injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing the result is maximising combustion efficiency.
The first Ford cars to see this Ecoboost technology will be the all-new C-Max and Grand C-Max models, as the company introduce two engine sizes – 1.6-litre and 2.0 litre. The two model C-Max line-up will feature the 1.6l engine, with the 2.0l engine reserved for Ford’s larger vehicles – perhaps to be seen in the S-Max before too long.
Significantly, the manufacturer has also confirmed that a smaller sized Ecoboost engine is also in development, so we could perhaps see a Ford Ka or Ford Fiesta in the not-too-distant future benefit from this new technology.
The primary benefits delivered by the Ford EcoBoost approach include:
- optimised engine efficiency – fuel consumption and CO2 emissions reduced by up to 20 per cent
- greater driving enjoyment – strong low-end torque and responsive performance across the full rev range
- opportunity to downsize – large-engine performance, but with the size, weight and fuel economy of a much smaller unit
- The Ecoboost engine should be cheaper to produce than an equivalent diesel unit therefore it will enable more consumers to opt for a greener car.
“The new family of Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder petrol engines coming in 2010 is a key element of Ford Motor Company’s global Blueprint for Sustainability,” said John Fleming, Chairman & CEO, Ford of Europe.
“We believe that these engines will provide customers with a genuinely attractive alternative to diesel or hybrid power units, delivering highly competitive fuel economy and cost-of-ownership, along with the responsive performance and wide rev range which have made petrol engines the favoured choice for so many drivers,”
“With the 2.0-litre engine catering for applications of 200 PS and above, the 1.6-litre engine spanning the 150-180 PS range, and the small-capacity unit meeting the demand for engines in the sub-130 PS segment, over time we will offer a high-efficiency low-CO2 Ford EcoBoost engine for all of our major European vehicle lines,” said Fleming.
Perhaps the key advantage of the Ford EcoBoost program will be the ability to downsize engine capacity, so that larger naturally aspirated engines can be replaced by much smaller units without sacrificing power output and driver enjoyment.
The performance boost offered by turbocharging typically results in a 50 per cent increase in torque, so there is a significant opportunity to downsize capacity while still providing a potential performance benefit.
The advantages of downsizing include improved efficiency through reduced internal friction, lower pumping losses, and lighter weight – which also makes the engine warm up more quickly. This helps to ensure that the real-world fuel economy benefits of Ford EcoBoost engines are delivered in all driving conditions, including both city and highway driving.
By 2012, the blue oval plans globally to produce 1.3 million EcoBoost engines annually – 750,000 of these in the U.S, where availability of turbo diesel engines in passenger cars is less widespread. By 2013, Ford expects to offer EcoBoost engines in 90 per cent of its global product lineup. In a welcome move for the UK economy it has been confirmed that Ford’s engine plant in Bridgend will be the manufacturing plant for the 1.6-litre Ecoboost engine.
Let us know your thoughts on the new EcoBoost engine below.
