Ford's EcoBoost technology looks to do more with less

With the wrapper finally removed from the sugarcoated exterior of the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO earlier this week at a national media preview, Ford's EcoBoost movement is unofficially in full swing. Basically, be prepared to hear a whole truckload of EcoBoost-centric news coming out of the Blue Oval's Dearborn, Mich., headquarters over the next few years.

Ford is really excited about its fancy but not-so-new EcoBoost technology, a new engine-building methodology that blends forced induction and direct injection into a high-powered yet efficient mechanical cocktail. For the rest of us that don't yammer on purely in marketing lingo, that would mean new, turbocharged powerplants.

With all the modern day concerns surrounding fuel economy, CO2 emissions, the end of the world and Simon Cowell, turbochargers are going to become much more prevalent. Basically they use exhaust gasses that would otherwise be wasted to spin a tiny turbine, which in turn spins a tiny impeller that compresses air into the intake. Blah blah blah. Bottom line? More power with less fuel, reduced CO2 emissions and (hopefully) fewer complaints from the Green Party, Leo Dicaprio and Cameron Diaz. But don’t hold your breath on that last one.

Having been launched last month in the Lincoln MKS, the current iteration of the EcoBoost mill is a 3.5-liter V6 with twin turbochargers (or a bi-turbo if you want to be all European about it). More accurately, rather tiny twin turbochargers. Colloquially described as being "about the size of an orange, the two turbos can each deliver up to 12 psi of boost. In the new Ford Taurus SHO, that means 365 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 102 hp and 101 lb-ft over the standard 3.5-liter V6, with identical fuel economy to the lighter (but still fairly chunky) all-wheel drive Taurus.

Ford offers the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine in the Lincoln MKS, MKT and Taurus SHO, and it will soon see service in the Flex as well. However by 2013, Ford has committed to offering an EcoBoost engine on over 90% of its North American vehicles. In the works is a four-cylinder turbo engine, which should bring with it some seriously impressive fuel economy numbers. And preferably some serious performance figures as well.

-- Brian Alexander

Photo: EcoBoost Engine. Credit: Ford Motor Company

Brian Alexander is a staff writer for Driverside.com

Comments

[Chip Daigle]

Ford is a huge dissappointment to me. They say they will only make 50% of their cars FFV's by 2012! Hello, they should be making 100% of their cars FFV's by 2010. Their necks are ready to be chopped off and they are burying their heads in the sand. If the Auto Industry wants to survive the Obamanista Catastrophe, they better learn how to vote Republican fast in 2010. I cannot see America buying Obuma's battery operated clown cars. Their only hope is to make FFV's.

[dd74]

This engine should create a huge windfall for Ford. BMW has a similar set up with its inline six (twin turbo) whose horsepower is eclipsed by 65 compared to the EcoBoost.

There is one concern, however, that it's been rumored Ford might eliminate their V8 in certain lines in lieu of the EcoBoost. This would be fine for a vehicle such as the Explorer, which with its high-strung and underpowered 4.6 V8 and high-side gearing, can barely tow a second thought let alone a small boat or whatever. In short, the Explorer is prime territory for the EcoBoost engine. As a Explorer/Mountaineer owner, I'd purchase a new vehicle with the EcoBoost in a NY minute. A half-minute if the Explorer were diesel, but that's another subject entirely.

But if Ford thinks the EcoBoost will replace the V8s found in the Mustang GT, the company will destroy the brand for many enthusiasts. A Mustang w/o a V8 is like a burger without beef.

So Ford has to be careful. CAFE standards aren't everything. Brand loyalty IS everything.

[Justin]

Very interesting article. Ford has really done a great job trying to push the eco-movement. Thanks for sharing.

[Mitchum]

Ford is doing AMAZING things with the available technology today. I predict Ford as being the green people's favorite company in the next decade, replacing Toyota.

[Willard West]

I would think that even the IDIOTS are the bottom of Ford's engineering group would have by now come to the realization that turbocharging an engine is by all measures a....

LOSER...!!

The widespread use of the Atkinson cycle, and in a few cases the Miller cycle, to improve the efficiency of the Otto engine would have put the LIE, firmly, to the idea that turboes can be run with exhaust energy that would otherwise be WASTED.

BS, PURE BS...!!

In addition a turbo engine MUST be operated in detuned/derated mode the clear majority of the time. The "standard" for DFI engines is more in the range of 12:1 rather than the less efficient 10:1 Ford is using in order to accomodate the turbo boost once it arrives.

I will cast my vote with the first manufacturer that combines the use of the Otto/Atkinson/Miller engine modes into ONE engine.

Toyota is already using an EXTENDED version of their VVT-i technique to transition the Prius and RX450h engines from Otto mode, 16:1 base/static/native compression ratio with partial throttle, light engine loads/loading, into Atkinson mode, 13:1 dynamic compression ratio, with moderate to full throttle operation.

The use of DFI and Otto/Atkinson/Miller cycle modes could have been used to produce in excess of, a much more SENSIBLE, 250HP for that I4 Explorer engine (350HP for an Explorer..??) while at the same time improving hwy FE by ~50%

That might require a variable speed positive displacement SuperCharger(***) instead of the Totally PARASITIC turbo.

*** Drive the SC via the Toyota HSD PSD, Power Split Device, engine belt drive "summed" via an "e/CVT" with a low HP variable speed permanent magnet rotor AC motor/inverter combination like that used to drive the HSD A/C compressor.

Use the SC for engine "throttling" and eliminate the throttle plate.

[Stuff Ghetto People Like]

Mmmmm....Fords are about to get quite tasty. Can't wait for such an engine to hit the Fusion.