|
The EcoBoost family of 4- and 6-cylinder engines uses turbocharging and direct injection technology to deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy and and up to 15 percent fewer emissions. More importantly, EcoBoost builds on todays affordable gasoline engines allowing the technology to be applied across a wide range of engines and vehicles types, from small cars to large trucks.
“Rising gasoline prices are on everyones mind these days," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development. “EcoBoost is one way that Ford is answering the call by delivering an affordable, fuel-saving option to millions of Ford and Lincoln Mercury customers. In the next five years, EcoBoost will be available on a half a million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles annually in North America.”
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 approximately 15 percent fuel economy 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 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine has the capability of producing more torque than a larger 6-cylinder engine – nearly an entire liter larger in displacement – with up to 20 percent 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 six-speed transmissions, advanced electric power steering, weight reductions and aerodynamic improvements – is part of 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.
|
