July 15th, 2009
Ford says you can afFORD their fuel-savers
Hybrids are not inexpensive cars. Ford says they’re making a major leap forward for the old-fashioned, cheaper gas-guzzler. Make it sip less per mile. They call their new engineering “EcoBoost,” no marketing slouches they.
EcoBoost technology is now available in Ford and Lincoln vehicles from small cars to large trucks – and will reach 500,000 vehicles in the next five years. By 2013, EcoBoost will be in 90 percent of all of Ford vehicles sold in the U.S. Those emissions savings will really add up.
Currently you can find EcoBoost engines in a number of vehicles, including the Lincoln MKS and MKZ models and the Ford Flex. Soon it will launch in the Taurus SHO as well.
How does it work? According to Ford, EcoBoost uses gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology for up to 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions and superior driving performance versus larger displacement engines.
Ford explains its tech this way: “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.
“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, can 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.”
Here’s a YouTube video showing off the engine technology.
It’s worth noting that many European diesel cars alresady use turbolcharging to get much better performance from the diesel engines which dominate the auto market there. Is there a turbo in your future?
A newsman since 1969, Harry Fuller has worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET and was founding news director at TechTV. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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