How Ford’s EcoBoost Technology Brought Economical Motoring to the Masses
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The turbocharged EcoBoost line of direct-injection engines developed by Ford Motor Company has been deployed across their line from the universally praised Fiesta to the Focus, the reliable family run-around, to some vehicles from other manufacturers like Jaguar, Land Rover and Zenos.
Challenging Assumptions
Ford’s Biggest Little EcoBoost–the Fiesta 1.0L
The ubiquity of the line has allowed it to put to rest one major misconception about engines that many drivers held. This is the thought that engine displacement—the volume swept by the pistons in the engine’s cylinders in a single move from top to bottom—equals power. We used to see this attitude reflected in motorsport; Formula One engines used to go as high as 4.5L (liters) of displacement but since 2009—the year the EcoBoost was brought onto the market—we’ve seen regulations cap that figure at 1.6L, its lowest ever. Meaning smaller engines are becoming more powerful and more fashionable. Even the Formula Ford series has adopted the EcoBoost engines. And on top of that the LMGTE PRO winning car from the 2016 24hr Le Mans was the racing version of the highly anticipated 2017 Ford GT EcoBoost.
With even large cars like the 2017 Ford Escape boasting relatively compact 1.5 L engines, it’s now clear to anyone just how much punch can be packed into an engine of any size with the right technology. Because it’s in so many of the nation’s favorite cars, the EcoBoost has also spread low-cost motoring to a wider audience than ever.
How It Saves Money
The big jump in fuel efficiency is the most obvious source of savings, with up to 30 percent less fuel consumption making a big difference for personal or business use, especially if your job requires you to be mobile. But there is one other big factor to consider: taxation.
In places where vehicle weight is the primary determiner of road tax, like the state of New York, any way to make the vehicle lighter and more compact will save you money. Even more than that, in places where carbon emissions are the deciding factor (like the UK), they’ll put a vehicle in a much lower tax band than other gasoline engines. Rates are actually set to go up in March of 2017, but you can save by buying a vehicle registered before the new regulations come in through car supermarkets like Motorpoint.
