Ford Marks Milestone As 500,000th EcoBoost-equipped Vehicle Rolls off Line
November 28 2012
Ford Marks Milestone As 500,000th EcoBoost-equipped Vehicle Rolls off Line
Ford’s highly successful, fuel-efficient EcoBoost engine technology has hit a milestone, with the 500,000th engine produced just three years after its launch in 2009.
The 500,000th engine was fitted into a 2013 Ford Escape – known in other markets as the Ford Kuga – which rolled off the line at Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant.
The milestone is another step in the One Ford plan to be an industry fuel efficiency leader by incorporating Smart technologies in its vehicles.
In North America, EcoBoost sales make Ford the leader in petrol turbo direct-injected engines in its high-volume passenger vehicles, such as Escape compact SUV, mid-size Fusion sedan and F-150 pickup.
Ford’s global EcoBoost engine family includes the award-winning 1.0-litre three-cylinder, 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines, and the powerful 3.5-litre V6 available in North America.
In Australia, EcoBoost technology is available in a range of Ford vehicles – Focus ST, Mondeo and the acclaimed Falcon EcoBoost sedan, which was the first rear-wheel drive application globally of the 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine. Ford Australia has also announced that EcoBoost technology will be available in the Ford Kuga, which goes on sale next year.
EcoBoost was introduced in North America in July 2009 with the 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost engine in the 2010 Taurus SHO; 9,946 units were sold that year. 2010 saw EcoBoost sales increase to 15,117, while last year Ford sold 127,683 EcoBoost-equipped vehicles in the US.
By 2013, more than 90 per cent of Ford’s North American lineup will be available with an EcoBoost engine. Today, Ford offers EcoBoost engines in 11 North American nameplates, with four coming in 2013.
In Europe, EcoBoost is beginning to build momentum as well. Ford plans to triple the production of its vehicles equipped with EcoBoost engines to about 480,000 in 2015, from 141,000 last year. More than 300,000 of that projected yearly output will be vehicles equipped with the new 1.0-litre EcoBoost.
Ford plans on continuing to offer EcoBoost engines globally, including some innovative downsized engines. Ford has announced it will bring its award-winning EcoBoost 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine to North America next year.
In Australia, this 1.0-litre engine will also be available next year in the Fiesta. Ford Australia also has plans to introduce this engine in the EcoSport SUV.
The 1.0-litre was recently voted the 2012 International Engine of the Year, the first time a Ford engine has won the award in its 13-year history. It also won the “Best New Engine” and “Best Engine Under 1.0” categories.
The 1.0-litre is proving popular in Europe. After launching in Europe this year, the Focus 1.0-litre EcoBoost has already achieved almost 30 per cent of European Focus sales.
Engine control software the key
Ford’s powertrains use hundreds of thousands of lines of computer code and related parameters that are adjusted to optimise the engine and transmission operation.
It’s these processes that largely make up the EcoBoost patent contribution, and make Ford’s use of direct injection and turbocharging of its engines like no other automaker in the world.
Ford holds more than 125 patents on its EcoBoost engine technology, which uses turbocharging, direct petrol injection and variable valve timing to boost fuel economy by up to 20 per cent, without sacrificing performance.
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