- Next generation high-efficiency low-CO2 Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder petrol engine family unveiled at Frankfurt Motor Show
- Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions reduced by up to 20 per cent compared with conventional petrol engines
- Ford EcoBoost makes downsizing possible – delivering the performance of a large capacity engine with the fuel economy of a much smaller unit
- Ford EcoBoost global engine family features direct petrol injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing for maximum combustion efficiency
- European applications will initially focus on two four cylinder engines of 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre capacities, with an advanced, small-capacity engine to be
launched later - First production engines to be introduced in Europe from 2010
FRANKFURT, 15 September, 2009 -- Ford of Europe is revealing further details of its new generation of Ford EcoBoost high-efficiency low-CO2 four-cylinder petrol engines at the Frankfurt Motor Show, prior to their first production applications in 2010.
The engines feature direct petrol injection, turbocharging and twin independent variable valve timing to maximise combustion efficiency, resulting in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions reduced by up to 20 per cent compared to conventional petrol engines with a similar power output.
“The new family of Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder petrol engines coming in 2010 is a key element of Ford Motor Company's global blueprint for sustainability,” said John Fleming, Chairman & CEO, Ford of Europe.
“We believe that these engines will provide customers with a genuinely attractive alternative to diesel or hybrid power units, delivering highly competitive fuel economy and cost-of-ownership, along with the responsive performance and wide rev range which have made petrol engines the favoured choice for so many drivers,” Fleming added.
The initial range of four cylinder Ford EcoBoost engines for the company's European product range will launch in 2010. The line-up will comprise 1.6-litre units for the
all-new Ford C-MAX and 2.0-litre units for the company's large car range.
An additional advanced, small-capacity Ford EcoBoost engine will be introduced later to expand the range of applications within Ford’s small and medium car line-up.
In addition, Ford has confirmed that its new 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine will be available globally, launching in North America in 2010 and, for its first rear-wheel drive application, in the Ford Falcon in Australia from 2011.
“With the 2.0-litre engine catering for applications of 200PS and above, the 1.6-litre engine spanning the 150-180PS range, and the small-capacity unit meeting the demand for engines in the sub-130PS segment, over time we will offer a
high-efficiency low-CO2 Ford EcoBoost engine for all of our major European vehicle lines,” said Fleming.
Three critical elements
Powertrain engineers have maximised the economy and emissions improvements delivered in Ford EcoBoost engines by creating a new combustion system which combines the benefits of three critical elements: high-pressure direct fuel injection, advanced turbocharging and twin independent variable valve timing.
While each of these features has potential technical advantages on its own, deploying all three together brings significantly enhanced performance and results in a much more efficient combustion process across the full engine operating range.
This enables Ford EcoBoost technology to provide customers with many of the benefits offered by the latest diesel engines, while retaining the driving character and cost advantages of a petrol unit.
The primary benefits delivered by the Ford EcoBoost design approach include:
- optimised engine efficiency – fuel consumption and CO2 emissions reduced by up to 20 per cent
- greater driving enjoyment – strong low-end torque and responsive performance across the full rev range
- opportunity to downsize – large-engine performance, but with the size, weight and fuel economy of a much smaller unit
The technology featured in Ford EcoBoost engines builds on existing petrol engine knowledge, and offers customers a more affordable alternative to reduce carbon emissions than equivalent hybrid or diesel engine designs.
Optimised engine efficiency
The reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions achieved by Ford EcoBoost engines is the result of a combustion system which burns the fuel in the most efficient and cleanest way possible.
At the heart of this is a high-pressure direct injection system which injects fuel into each cylinder in small, precise amounts at a pressure of up to 200 bar – the droplet size is typically smaller than 0.02mm, one-fifth the width of human hair.
Compared to conventional fuel injection, direct injection produces a cooler, denser charge, delivering improved fuel economy and performance. Like in a modern diesel engine, multiple injections are also possible per combustion cycle, which further enhances economy and emissions.
Variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust camshafts helps four-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engines optimise gas flow through the combustion chamber at all engine speeds, improving efficiency and performance, particularly at part load.
Greater driving enjoyment
To maximise driver enjoyment, Ford EcoBoost engines deliver the same strong low-end torque which has made the latest diesel engines so popular, combined with refined and responsive performance across the full engine speed range.
This is made possible by using advanced turbocharger technology, with small, low inertia rotors that spin at speeds in excess of 200,000rpm. The turbines are carefully selected to ensure that maximum torque can be achieved at 1,500rpm or lower, with the absolute minimum of delay when the driver wants quick acceleration in traffic.
The charge-cooling benefit of direct injection plays an additional part in boosting performance at low engine speeds. Variable valve timing further enhances this through a ‘scavenging’ effect, which increases air flow through the engine and maximises low-end torque.
Careful matching of the turbo ensures that Ford EcoBoost engines remain powerful and responsive at speeds in excess of 5,000rpm, providing a wider spread of power than a typical diesel unit.
Opportunity to downsize
A key advantage of the Ford EcoBoost approach is the ability to downsize engine capacity, so that larger naturally-aspirated engines can be replaced by much smaller units without sacrificing power output.
The performance boost offered by turbocharging typically results in a 50 per cent increase in torque, so there is a significant opportunity to downsize capacity while still providing a potential performance benefit.
The advantages of downsizing include improved efficiency through reduced internal friction, lower pumping losses, and lighter weight – which also makes the engine warm up more quickly. This helps to ensure that the real-world fuel economy benefits of Ford EcoBoost engines are delivered in all driving conditions, including both city and highway driving.
Advanced engine designs
The 1.6- and 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost units are advanced lightweight, high efficiency engine designs which have been specially developed from Ford’s latest four-cylinder engine families.
Both units have an all-aluminium construction, with 16-valve DOHC cylinder heads featuring twin independent variable cam timing. The engines have been refined for maximum operating efficiency with optimised lubrication system design and application of low-friction coatings.
The advanced combustion system design allows both engines to meet the most stringent global emissions requirements including the PZEV (partial zero emission vehicles) standard in California and the European Stage V regulations.
European production
Production of the two initial Ford EcoBoost engines for European vehicles will be spread across two different locations within Ford’s powertrain manufacturing network. The 2.0-litre unit will be produced at the Valencia Engine Plant in Spain, while the 1.6-litre engine will be made at the Bridgend Engine Plant in the United Kingdom.
The future advanced small-displacement Ford EcoBoost engine will be produced both at the Cologne Engine Plant in Germany and at the new Craiova Engine Plant in Romania.
Global Family
Ford Motor Company's global EcoBoost engine family is the cornerstone of Ford Motor Company's near-term sustainability plan to deliver high-volume, affordable, fuel-efficient vehicles that customers around the world want and value.
By 2012, the company plans globally to produce 1.3 million EcoBoost engines annually - 750,000 of these in the U.S, where availability of turbo diesel engines in passenger cars is less widespread. By 2013, Ford expects to offer EcoBoost engines in 90 per cent of its global product lineup.
The strategy behind EcoBoost is downsizing petrol engines to use less fuel, combined with the use of turbocharging and other powertrain technologies to deliver significantly improved fuel economy and torque plus the power of a larger engine.
The EcoBoost revolution is already underway in North America. Ford recently started production there of its first EcoBoost engine, which is also the first gasoline
direct-injection twin-turbocharged engine to be manufactured in North America.
This 3.5-litre EcoBoost V-6 offers similar power but better fuel economy than V-8 competitors and is offered in the new Ford Taurus SHO with 370PS and in the 2010 Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and MKT models with 360PS and a responsive 475 Nm of torque across a broad rpm range.