Its EcoBoost engines are already its most fuel efficient – and now Ford is to expand its line-up with its smallest and most environmentally friendly model yet.
The 1.0litre EcoBoost three-cylinder engine, designed at Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre in the UK, places the focus on improving thermal efficiency and reducing friction of the engine’s internal moving parts – particularly during warm-up when higher levels of CO2 emissions are typically emitted.
It features a host of new features that could well be a regular part of future Ford engines, including: an offset crankshaft to improve fuel economy; a split cooling system that allows the cylinder block to warm up before the cylinder head; an exhaust manifold; turbocharging; direct injection; and twin independent variable camshaft timing. The new engine is said to deliver torque outputs equivalent to most normally aspirated 1.6litre petrol engines.
In addition, Ford has revealed plans for two new Ford transmissions – an eight speed transmission; and a transmission exclusively for hybrid vehicles as Ford aims to manufacture more hybrid transmissions in North America than any other automaker or supplier. It will be Ford designed and Ford built and an electronic continuously variable transmission that offers improved performance compared to the current unit.
