Migration to Alternative Fuels and Powertrains

Modern diesels offer some significant advantages over traditional gasoline engines. They consume 30 to 40 percent less fuel, and on a well-to-wheels basis they emit 15 to 30 percent less carbon dioxide (CO₂).1 In addition, direct-injection diesel engines provide exceptional power and torque, resulting in better driving performance and towing capabilities.

In Europe, diesel-powered vehicles account for more than 50 percent of new vehicle sales and make up approximately 30 percent of the total vehicle fleet on the road. Ford continues to improve its strong lineup of fuel-efficient and clean diesel vehicles in Europe. For example, we continue to introduce ECOnetic versions of Ford models that deliver improved fuel economy and emissions. The ECOnetic lineup currently includes versions of the Ford Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and Transit. Several of the ECOnetic models use diesel engines, which meet the stringent Euro 5 emissions standards and emit less than 100 g/km of CO₂. For example, the Fiesta ECOnetic has fuel economy of 3.7 liters/100 km and emits just 98 g/km of CO₂. This vehicle is powered by a specially calibrated version of the 95-horsepower PowerShift 1.6L Duratorq TDCi, combined with a coated diesel particulate (soot) filter.

In the North American medium-duty truck market, diesel engines account for more than 50 percent of sales. In response to this demand, Ford introduced an all-new 2011 F-Series Super Duty® truck with a state-of-the-art diesel engine, new six-speed transmission and urea/selective catalytic reduction after-treatment system. The 6.7L Power Stroke® V8 diesel is cleaner and has 20 percent better fuel economy, 14 percent more power and 23 percent more torque relative to the outgoing model.

This new diesel engine also meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s and the California Air Resources Board’s strict 2010 heavy-duty truck emission regulations, which require 80 percent lower NOx emissions than the 2007 regulations. The new Super Duty uses a range of advanced technologies to meet the new regulations. For example, its 6.7L Power Stroke engine employs an innovative exhaust gas recirculation system with two independent cooling loops, which enable optimal combustion phasing for fuel economy while reducing NOx emissions from the engine into the after-treatment system. In addition, the after-treatment system has three key parts, including:

• a diesel oxidation catalyst that converts and oxidizes hydrocarbons into water and carbon dioxide;
• a selective catalytic reduction that uses an ammonia and water solution to convert the NOx in the exhaust stream into water and inert nitrogen; and
• a diesel particulate filter that traps any remaining soot and periodically burns it away when sensors detect that the trap is full.

The engine will also use a high-precision, common-rail fuel-injection system featuring piezo-electric injectors. This system uses a stack of more than 300 wafer-thin ceramic platelets to control the fuel injector nozzle, allowing it to operate faster than other electro-mechanical fuel injectors, decrease fuel consumption and reduce emissions.

The 2011 Super Duty is Ford’s first vehicle in North America that is B20 compatible, meaning it can run on fuel composed of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent ultra-low-sulfur diesel. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from soybean oil and other fats. We went through extensive testing to ensure that this new truck would meet performance and durability requirements when fueled with B20, including running durability cycles on multiple blends of diesel and biodiesel fuels to ensure the robustness of the system. Previously, Ford Super Duty products in North America were approved to use B5 fuel, which is composed of 5 percent biodiesel and 95 percent petroleum diesel. In Europe, our vehicles are also compatible with B5, and we are working with European fuel standards organizations to establish fuel-quality standards for biodiesel blends greater than B5. The use of biodiesel helps to reduce dependence on foreign oil and reduces lifecycle CO₂ emissions. For more information on biofuels, please see the Renewable Biofueled Vehicles section.