Hybrid cars are the readily available solution to drastically reduce fuel consumption and, thus, CO2 emissions. But they are also much more expensive than regular vehicles powered only by internal combustion engines. And the truth is they are not the only solution as some carmakers would have you believe.
Ford will introduce its ECOnetic range in Europe with the Focus and Fiesta, proving that an internal combustion-engine powered car can be as “green” as a hybrid. The company says half of all Ford cars sold in Europe by late next year will carry the ECOnetic Technology badge, increasing to two-thirds by 2013.
The numbers speak for themselves as the C-Segment Focus ECOnetic has an average fuel consumption of 3.4 lt/100 km (83.2 UK mpg, 69.2 US mpg) and the Fiesta ECOnetic, 3.3 lt/100 km (85.6 UK mpg, 71.3 US mpg). Their CO2 emissions are just 89 and 87 gr/km for the Focus and Fiesta models respectively.
“The Focus and Fiesta ECOnetic will deliver stunning fuel economy and still be fun to drive – a combination that would have seemed impossible a few years ago” commented Dr. Thilo Seiber, Ford Europe’s manager for Sustainability and Electrification Strategy.
Ford’s ECOnetic technology employs a number of features such as auto stop/start, “smart” regenerative charging, active grille shutter and ECOmode.
The ECOnetic-equipped Ford models will be powered either by the 1.6-liter turbocharged EcoBoost gasoline engine or the 1.6-liter TDCi diesel. Later on, a 1.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder petrol with direct injection that will be launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show next Tuesday, will join the ECOnetic range and will power the Focus, achieving even lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
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