New Ford Drivetrains, Vehicles Focus on Fuel Economy

Ford Motor Company used its annual 2010 model year product launch event to touch on many key factors looking ahead to the future. Yes, many of its short-term vehicles were present such as the Transit Connect, Fiesta and F-150 SVT Raptor, but the biggest news came from what Ford is expecting to launch within the next three years. Between new, smaller vehicles and technologically advanced drivetrain components, Ford seems to be on track in meeting the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations that will require automakers’ fleets to average 35.5 miles per gallon by the 2016 model year. Ford’s attack on fuel economy will be swift as many new technologies are making their debut in the near future, but the wide spread application of the technologies should help ensure Ford’s success in the future.

At the forefront of Ford’s attempt to improve its overall fuel economy is the highly acclaimed EcoBoost engine. Although the engine is making its debut in premium vehicles such as the Ford Taurus SHO, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT, the V-6 version will spread to other FoMoCo vehicles and a smaller inline-4 version will be introduced. The point will be to replace bigger engines with smaller engines without affecting the horsepower and torque. Eventually, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost will make its way under the hood of larger vehicles such as the base models of the F-150 and Mustang, and then the 2.0-liter EcoBoost will be available in midsize vehicles with possibilities including the Fusion, Focus and Ranger.

Like the 3.5-liter EcoBoost, the 2.0-liter inline-4 version will offer direct injection and twin turbochargers to offer power output similar to a bigger V-6 - horsepower is estimated to be right around 240 while torque should be somewhere close to 250 lb-ft with a peak range that mimics 3.5-liter spanning from just 1,500 rpm to over 5,000 rpm. Even better, the small EcoBoost will yield a fuel economy improvement of approximately 10 to 20 percent (depending on the application) over a competitive V-6. With Ford’s statement that 90 percent of its global model lineup will offer EcoBoost engines by 2013, it is understandable that the company refers to this period as the EcoBoost Revolution.

Backing up the new EcoBoost engines, Ford is also paying special attention to the transmissions it uses. In addition to the smooth shifting six-speed automatic SelectShift transmission used in conjunction with the EcoBoost V-6, the smaller engine will be paired up with a dry-clutch, six-speed automatic, called the Powershift. The use of six-speed transmissions will not only help to improve fuel economy, but Ford claims it will also improve acceleration thanks to quicker shifts. Arriving in 2010, the Powershift transmission will offer a seven to nine percent improvement in fuel economy compared to a traditional hydraulic four-speed automatic.

Going away from the reliance on internal combustion engines, Ford plans to introduce a growing number of hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV) within the next two years. We had the opportunity to drive both the Escape PHEV and the Focus BEV around Ford’s test track in Dearborn, Mich. While the Focus BEV drove as expected (eerily quiet), the Escape PHEV is the vehicle that truly has us waiting for the 2012 model year. Although it was a relatively short course (just under two miles), we were able to experience the Escape twice in varying modes. First, we kept the acceleration light and the speed under 40 miles per hour to experience the full EV mode, but the second time around we had a little more fun and got to test out the smooth engine-to-electric transition. Ford says that a PHEV will join the lineup in 2012. As for the BEV, Ford will first launch a commercial-use only Transit Connect BEV next year with a Focus BEV joining the party in 2011. Adding to its technological lineup, Ford will also introduce its next generation hybrid drivetrain in 2012.

Another way Ford is improving its fuel economy is simply by offering smaller vehicles. Besides the launch of the Transit Connect later this year, Ford is also introducing its European Fiesta to the North American market as well as bringing over the highly acclaimed European Focus, both for the 2011 model year. The Transit Connect is designed to offer business a smaller alternative to large vans and trucks that are maybe too big for their needs. The 2010 Ford Transit Connect has a tall roofline that can manage up to 135.3 cubic feet of cargo volume, and it has a drivetrain that can handle up to 1,600 pounds of payload while returning EPA fuel economy estimates of 22 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. The Fiesta and Focus will both mark the anticipated globalization of Ford’s European-based lineup which should help improve the company’s market share when it comes to small, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Fuel economy was by far the most important topic at the event, but Ford also showed its commitment to the ongoing development of high-performance vehicles as well. Ford has confirmed production of the more modern and more powerful 6.2-liter Boss V-8, but there are rumors that a new 5.0-liter V-8 will debut next year in the Mustang. The Boss V-8 will likely just be a truck engine and it will launch later this year as an option in the off-road ready F-150 SVT Raptor.

Ford is already expected to overtake General Motors this year as the best-selling domestic automaker in North America, and there is also rumor that it may even overtake Toyota for the top spot in global sales soon. With the addition of the future products, developments and technologies, Ford is giving itself the best possibly chance to become the world’s largest automaker.