Ford’s Cleveland Engine Plant starts 3rd shift to meet demand for EcoBoost V6 engines

Ford has added a third shift at Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 to meet demand for 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 3.7-liter V6 engines. Introduced in 2009 on the Ford Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKS, EcoBoost technology combines direct injection and turbocharging. The EcoBoost solution has been popular with customers, who have purchased 180,000 Cleveland-built 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engines since 2009. In 2011, Ford sold a record 121,000 vehicles equipped with 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engines when F-150 began offering an EcoBoost option. In first-quarter 2012, Ford sold more than 39,000 vehicles equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, representing more than a 285% increase from the first quarter of 2011. The 250 jobs being added in Cleveland for running the third shift primarily will be filled by employees transferring from Cleveland Engine Plant No. 2, which is scheduled to end production later this week. Later this month, Ford will add one shift of F-150 production at its Kansas City Assembly Plant.

FEV displays Ford 1.0L EcoBoost engine at SAE World Congress; provided early development support

FEV, Inc., is showing the 1.0L I3 Ford EcoBoost at the SAE 2012 World Congress. (Earlier post.) FEV provided early development stage support for the engine in the area of design and CAE, combustion development, and engine build for 36 engines. We have been very fortunate to have supported Ford Motor Company in the development of this breakthrough powertrain. This is a prime example of FEV’s business model, which is designed to integrate its expertise into the development process for customer propulsion systems on an as-needed basis. The EcoBoost engine represents one of the recent trends in the automotive industry, a move towards downsized and highly boosted engines that deliver higher power and better fuel economy than the larger engines they replace. And these engines are capable of doing that with very low exhaust emissions levels. —Gary Rogers, president and CEO of FEV The three-cylinder engine is designed for Ford vehicles such as the Focus, the B-MAX and the C-MAX. The engine will initially be offered with power ratings of 73.5 and 92kW (98 and 123HP, respectively), providing the power of the 1.6L four-cylinder, naturally aspirated engine in the Ford Focus. Both versions will deliver 170 nm (125 lb-ft) of torque between 1,300 and 4,500 rpm, which is an improvement over the 1.6L engine. The smaller power plant also provides an overall weight reduction of approximately 20 lbs. According to Ford, the Focus with the 73.5 kW engine achieves CO 2 emissions of 109 g/km. Source: Green Car Congress

Ford prices Auto Start-Stop system in non-hybrid 2013 Fusion 1.6L EcoBoost model at $295

Ford is offering the Auto Start-Stop system on its new non-hybrid 2013 Fusion equipped with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine (earlier post) for $295. Auto Start-Stop saves fuel use when the car is standing and running at idle. Savings vary depending on driving patterns, but owners who spend most time in heavy urban areas and city traffic will benefit up to 10%. On average, Auto Start-Stop improves fuel efficiency by about 3.5%.

The Ford Auto Start-Stop system includes a 12V battery designed for long lasting service with no additional maintenance; a 12V enhanced starter motor to provide seamless engine starts once a driver removes his or her foot from the brake pedal; and a voltage quality module to assures vehicle accessories function normally when the engine is off.

We expect the average Fusion driver with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine and Auto Start-Stop will save about $1,100 more than other midsize sedan owners during five years of driving.

—Samantha Hoyt, Fusion marketing manager

A study by the United States Department of the Treasury estimates that congestion consumed an extra 1.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2011, approximately 5% of all the gasoline used. Studies show drivers encounter an average of 10 to 15 red lights and stop signs on a typical 20 mile commute, which can add 5 to 15 minutes of idle time and wasted gas. Some communities—such as Denver, Colo. and Ann Arbor, Mich.—are also considering ordinances banning excessive engine idling.

Ford is making Auto Start-Stop available for non-hybrids in the US with the new 1.6-liter EcoBoost-powered Fusion.

On sale this fall, the new Fusion offers a choice of two EcoBoost-powered gasoline engines, a normally aspirated four-cylinder engine, a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Fuel-economy includes:

• 2013 Fusion 1.6-liter EcoBoost: projected 37 mpg highway
• 2013 Fusion Hybrid: projected 47 mpg
• 2013 Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid: projected 100 MPGe-plus rating

Source: Green Car Congress

Ford Launches 3-Cylinder 49 MPG Focus In Europe

Unlike some automakers who are diving head first into the electric car field, Ford is focusing a lot of energy on wringing the most MPG’s from petrol-powered engines. European countries are especially sensitive to the high cost of gasoline, so it makes sense that Ford has launched its 1.0 liter, 49 MPG EcoBoost Focus in the Old World. But will it come to America?

The EcoBoost line of engines are designed to maximize fuel economy from good ol’ gasoline, which remains an amazing source of energy. The smallest EcoBoost engine is a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder that comes in a 98 horsepower and 123 horsepower flavors. The 98 horsepower version offers the best fuel economy Ford has ever gotten out of a non-hybrid; 4.8 liters/100km , or about 49 mpg on the U.S. standard, though converting from one standard to another is not an exact science or a direct translation.

Even if the number is a few mpg’s short of 49 mpg, an engine capable of delivering decent horsepower with such stellar fuel economy should prove a big hit in cost-conscious Europe. But is 98 horsepower enough for American buyers?

I think so. While Ford is focusing on the launch of the 1.0 liter EcoBoost overseas in places like Europe and Asia, I think it is only a matter of time before this engine comes to the U.S. There are plenty of cars for sale in America that have around 100 horsepower, and even less torque, than the 1.0 liter EcoBoost (which cranks out at least 125 ft-lbs) is capable of.

Even if Ford were only to import the brawnier 123 horsepower model, which delivers a few less mpg’s (5 liters/100 km or 47 mpg) that is still better fuel economy than any other pure-petrol compact car. However, the 1.0 liter EcoBoost might only be available in the Fiesta, rather than the Focus. Americans tend to equate car size with engine size, and a 3-cylinder Fiesta might be an easier sell.

I’d give serious consideration to a turbocharged 3-cylinder car with that kind of gas mileage. Would you?

Source: Gas2.0