Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost to get cylinder deactivation tech

Cylinder deactivation on a three-cylinder engine? Yes, that’s right!

Ford introduced its 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine in India with the EcoSport. And while it might not have got the numbers they would have liked, internationally the engine has taken the coveted International Engine of the Year title three times. The American car maker introduced the turbocharged motor to be in sync with the recent trend of small capacity engines offering performance of a larger unit. Not to mention the weight reduction that is the icing on the cake.

But now, Ford wants to further increase the efficiency that this engine would return with the addition of a cylinder deactivation system. So far, this tech has been utilised primarily in the six or eight cylinder engines. When the Blue Oval introduces this update, it will be the first three-pot unit to feature this technology.

This system deactivates the first of the three cylinders when cruising on the highway without much load on the engine. Ford claims that this technology will increase its efficiency and reduce co₂ emissions by 6 per cent. The engine can activate or deactivate the system within just 14 milliseconds as per the throttle inputs and engine load and it can do all of this at engine speeds of up to 4,500rpm. To keep the vibrations in check while it is in the two-cylinder mode, Ford has fitted it with an off-set camshaft, a dual mass fly wheel and vibration-reductive clutch disc.

“Ford has pushed back the boundaries of powertrain engineering once again to further improve the acclaimed 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, and prove that there is still untapped potential for even the best internal combustion engines to deliver better fuel efficiency for customers,” said Bob Fascetti, vice president, Global Powertrain Engineering, Ford Motor Company.

Ford will debut this cylinder deactivation tech in its 1.0-litre EcoBoost unit in 2018. Internationally, the EcoBoost unit is available in 98bhp, 124bhp and 138bhp tunes but in India it is only available on the EcoSPort in the 124bhp tune. Ford also has a V6 EcoBoost that works force in the Mustang.