FORD'S ECOBOOST, EASY FUEL TECHNOLOGIES WIN POPULAR SCIENCE'S BEST OF WHAT'S NEW AWARDS

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeFord Motor Company garnered two “Best of What’s New for 2008” awards today from Popular Science, the world’s largest science and technology magazine. Ford’s new EcoBoost engines and the industry-exclusive Easy Fuel capless fuel filler both won awards in the automotive category.

“For 21 years, Popular Science’s ‘Best of What’s New’ awards honor the innovations that make a positive impact on life today, and change our views of the future,” said Mark Jannot, editor-in-chief of Popular Science. “PopSci’s editors evaluate thousands of products each year to develop this thoughtful list. There’s no higher accolade Popular Science can give.”

“We are honored that Popular Science chose to honor two new Ford technologies for 2008,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development.
“Both EcoBoost engines and Easy Fuel reflect Ford’s commitment to deliver sustainable, smart vehicles that customers want and value,” he said.

The EcoBoost family of four- and six-cylinder engines uses turbocharging and direct injection technology to deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy and up to 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions versus larger-displacement engines. According to Kuzak, EcoBoost builds upon today’s affordable gasoline engine and improves it.

“The beauty of EcoBoost is that it enables us to downsize for fuel efficiency, yet boost for power,” said Kuzak. “We’re able to decrease the size of the available engine -- such as installing a V-6 versus a V-8 – yet boost the power using turbocharging to deliver similar power and torque of that larger engine.”

Unlike hybrids, which are most fuel efficient in stop-and-go traffic, the real-world fuel economy benefit of EcoBoost comes both in the city as well as on the highway.

In 2009, Ford will introduce EcoBoost on Lincoln MKS, Ford Flex and Taurus. In the next five years, EcoBoost will be available on half a million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles annually in North America.

The Easy Fuel capless fuel filler is a Ford-exclusive feature that uses an integrated spring-loaded flapper door to eliminate the need for a fuel tank screw cap.

“This feature eliminates the likelihood of forgetting to put the gas cap back on after fueling,” said Kuzak. “It also saves time by doing away with unscrewing and replacing a fuel-filler cap and provides a better seal, cutting down the emissions of smog-forming vapors.”

Easy Fuel launched on the 2008 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer and currently is available on the 2009 Ford Flex and Lincoln MKS. The feature will be standard equipment across the entire Ford, Lincoln and Mercury product line by 2010.