This week at the North American International Auto Show, Ford Motor
Company is introducing a new engine technology called EcoBoost that
will deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy on half a million
Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles annually in North America during
the next five years. This technology introduces a fuel-efficient engine
platform that doesn't require plugging in or special fuels to promote
sustainability in Ford's line. Woo Hoo!
The
EcoBoost family of four-cylinder and six-cylinder gasoline engines
features a combination of turbocharging and direct injection
technology. Compared with more expensive hybrids and diesel engines,
EcoBoost builds upon today's affordable gasoline engine and improves
it, providing more customers with a way to improve fuel economy and
emissions without compromising driving performance.
"EcoBoost is meaningful because it can be applied across a wide variety
of engine types in a range of vehicles, from small cars to large trucks
- and it's affordable," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president
of Global Product Development.
"Compared
with the current cost of diesel and hybrid technologies, customers in
North America can expect to recoup their initial investment in a
4-cylinder EcoBoost engine through fuel savings in approximately 30
months. A diesel in North America will take an average of seven and
one-half years, while the cost of a hybrid will take nearly 12 years to
recoup - given equivalent miles driven per year and fuel costs," he
said.
This
improved engine technology is just around the corner: Ford says it will
introduce the first EcoBoost engine on the new Lincoln MKS flagship in
2009, followed by the Ford Flex, and other vehicles. By 2013, Ford
hopes to have more than a half-million EcoBoost-powered vehicles on the
road annually in North America.
In 2009, Ford first will
introduce EcoBoost on the Lincoln MKS featuring a 3.5-liter
twin-turbocharged V-6. Ford says the engine will produce the power and
torque of a V-8 engine with the fuel efficiency of a V-6. In fact,
with an estimated 340 horsepower and more than 340 lb-ft of torque, the
Lincoln MKS promises to be the most powerful and fuel-efficient
all-wheel-drive luxury sedan in the market.
More With Less
EcoBoost's
combination of direct injection and turbocharging mitigates the
traditional disadvantages of downsizing and boosting 4- and 6-cylinder
engines, giving customers both superior performance as well as fuel
economy.
With direct injection, fuel is injected into each
cylinder of an engine in small, precise amounts. Compared to
conventional port injection, direct injection produces a cooler, denser
charge, delivering higher fuel economy and performance.
How Ford EcoBoost Technology Works
When combined with modern-day turbocharging - which uses waste energy
from the exhaust gas to drive the turbine - direct injection provides
the best of both worlds: the responsiveness of a larger-displacement
engine with fewer trips to the gas pump.
Ford's
3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, for example, promises to deliver upwards of
340-plus lb.-ft. of torque across a wide engine range - 2,000 to 5,000
rpm versus 270 to 310 lb.-ft of torque for a conventional naturally
aspirated 4.6-liter V-8 over the same speed range. At the same time,
this V-6 gives customers an approximate 2 mpg improvement and emits up
to 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions to the environment.
Direct
injection coupled with turbocharging allows for the downsizing of
engines that deliver improved torque and performance. A small
4-cylinder EcoBoost engine has the capability of producing more torque
than a larger 4-cylinder engine - nearly an entire liter larger in
displacement - with better fuel efficiency.
The real-world
fuel economy benefit is consistent no matter the drive cycle, meaning
the engine is efficient in the city as well as on the highway - unlike
hybrids, which are most efficient in stop-and-go traffic. In addition,
customers who tow and haul - and have long turned to more expensive
diesel powertrains for their superior towing capabilities - can find
the engine performance they need from an EcoBoost powertrain.
EcoBoost
-- combined with multi-speed transmissions, advanced electric power
steering, weight reductions, and aerodynamic improvements - is one of
the first steps in Ford Motor Company's strategy to deliver
sustainable, quality vehicles that customers want and value.
Additional hybrid offerings and diesel engines are planned for
light-duty vehicles.
Longer term, Ford plans to remain aggressive in the development of plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles.
"We
know that what will make the biggest difference is applying the right
technology on volume vehicles that customers really want and value and
can afford," said Kuzak. "EcoBoost puts an affordable technology
within reach for millions of customers, and Ford's systems approach
adds up to a big idea that differentiates Ford's sustainability
strategy in the market."
By Brandy Schaffels
Contributing Editor
automotive advice for women
