Ford marked the manufacturing of the two millionth EcoBoost engine worldwide since the new turbocharged, direct injected gasoline engine line launched in 2009. The milestone mill, a 2.0-liter unit, was produced at Ford’s Louisville, Kentucky, plant and it will power a Ford Escape.
Ford says it is building more than 100,000 EcoBoost engines per month, up from 65,000 in 2012, due to increasing global demand. Ford aims to build 1.2 million EcoBoost engines in 2013, up more than 60 percent from 2012. This would make Ford’s global EcoBoost production exceed its global diesel-engine production for the first time.
EcoBoost technology combines smaller overall size with turbocharging, direct injection and variable valve timing to achieve better fuel economy and performance. Ford says its EcoBoost engines are up to 20 percent more fuel efficient than larger-displacement gasoline engines.
Ford’s EcoBoost engine family includes the 1.0-liter 3-cylinder unit, 1.5-liter, 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter four cylinder engines and the powerful 3.5-liter V6. By the end of this year, Ford wants the technology to be offered on approximately 80 percent of the company’s global nameplates.
In North America, 90 percent of Ford Escape models are equipped with 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter EcoBoost engines, while 50 percent of Fusion customers opt for one of three available EcoBoost models: 1.5-, 1.6- or 2.0-liter variants. Furthermore, 42 percent of F-150 trucks are purchased with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost.
In Europe, 43 percent of B-Max sales are accounted by the 1.0-liter EcoBoost model, followed by 32 percent of Focus sales, 26 percent of Fiesta sales and 24 percent of C-Max and Grand C-Max sales.
Finally, in Asia Pacific, 95 percent of Kuga buyers are choosing the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine, while 90 percent of Edge buyers and 62 percent of Mondeo buyers are opting for the engine family
By Dan Mihalascu
VIDEO