With the launch of this newest fuel-efficient engine, Ford now has capacity to build 1.6 million EcoBoost engines annually. By the end of 2013, six plants across Europe, Asia and North America will be producing EcoBoost engines, triple the number that were doing so in 2010.
Production of the four-cylinder 1.5-litre EcoBoost – the fifth member of the EcoBoost family – will commence initially at Ford's world-class facility in Craiova, Romania, later this month. Other manufacturing locations will be announced in the future. The new engine will be first introduced in China in the all-new Ford Mondeo, making its public debut later this month at Auto Shanghai 2013, with applications following in the Fusion sedan in North America this year, and later the new Mondeo in Europe.
As a key contributor to Ford's aggressive fuel economy and emissions strategy, EcoBoost technologies enable improvements to both fuel efficiency of 20 per cent and emissions of up to 15 per cent. The 1.5-litre engine benefits from signature EcoBoost turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable valve timing, and has been designed to be even more fuel efficient and offer high levels of refinement, quietness and performance.
Additionally, the newest EcoBoost engine will be a strategic entry for Ford in global markets that offer tax relief to consumers who purchase vehicles powered by engines of 1.5-litre capacity or less.
The new aluminum-block, twin-cam 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine will include some of the innovative features introduced on the award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost such as an integrated exhaust manifold. The new engine is expected to provide similar horsepower and torque performance to Ford's current 1.6-litre EcoBoost, while delivering improved fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions.
The 1.5-litre EcoBoost is the first engine from Ford to incorporate a computer-controlled clutch on the belt-drive water pump, which further improves efficiencies by reducing warm-up time. A water-cooled charge air cooler is added to offer a more efficient feed of air into the engine.
"Ford EcoBoost technology has changed the way people look at gas engines and has enjoyed huge success with customers," said Joe Bakaj, vice president, powertrain engineering for Ford. "The new 1.5-litre unit further extends our EcoBoost promise of economical driving in terms of both fuel efficiency and – in some markets – tax savings."
Ford has sold more than 600,000 EcoBoost-equipped vehicles globally since the range was launched with the 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost in 2009. Ford added the 2.0-litre EcoBoost in 2010, the 1.6-litre EcoBoost followed in 2011, and last year the 1.0-litre EcoBoost was launched, winning the 2012 "International Engine of the Year" award.
By the end of this year, nearly 80 per cent of the company's global nameplates will be available with fuel-saving EcoBoost technology.