2012 Focus ECOnetic & Fiesta ECOnetic now even more frugal

2012 Ford Focus ECOnetic - now even more frugal

If a little fairy from the future had come back in time, even as recently as the 1990s, and told you that a family sized Ford would have 100bhp and do more than 80mpg by 2012, you’d have laughed. But laugh no more – the 2012 Ford Focus ECOnetic average 83.1mpg and emits just 89g/km.

Want something even more economical and even less emitting, where you can still have grown-ups in the back? Then opt for the 2012 Fiesta ECOnetic, which  does an even more miserly 85.6mpg and emits 87g/km. Peak Oil? With cars this economical cropping up we’re going to be looking at Peak Demand instead.

What’s even better with the new ECOnetic Fords is that they come equipped with Ford’s first Nox trap, which eats harmful Nox and turns it in to nitrogen and water. Deal with particulates too and even America’s tight emissions will welcome diesels with open arms.

The raft of stuff that aids these extraordinary feats of frugality in the Fiesta ECOnetic and the Focus includes clever stuff like Auto-Start-Stop, Smart Regenerative Charging and Active Grille Shutter. There’s also an ECO mode that acts like an Eco-nanny, pointing out where your driving is being less than frugal. Sounds a blast.

Both the 2012 Fiesta ECOnetic and the 2012 Focus ECOnetic will be at Frankfurt next week before going on sale in mid 2012.

Another couple of cars to add to our ever growing list of ‘Who needs a Hybrid or EV with cars like this?’

[EXPAND Click for Ford Focus and Fiesta ECOnetic Press Release]

COLOGNE, Germany, 6 September, 2011 – Ford Motor Company today announced plans to bring ultra-fuel efficient versions of the Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta to Europe in mid-2012 as part of a broader strategy to roll out more green technologies across its line-up under the ECOnetic Technology badge.

At the Frankfurt Motor Show beginning next week, Ford will show two new ultra-efficient models packed with advanced fuel saving technology. The new Focus ECOnetic Technology – featuring first lean NOx adsorbing technology in a Ford diesel – achieves 89 g/km, and the new Fiesta ECOnetic Technology – the first Fiesta with Auto-Start-Stop technology – which delivers 87g/km.

The Focus will be able to travel 100 kilometres on 3.4 litres of fuel (83.1 mpg*), making it the most fuel efficient non-hybrid family car (C segment) in Europe.  The Fiesta also achieves top-notch fuel economy, travelling 100 kilometres on 3.3 litres of fuel (85.6 mpg*).

“The Focus and Fiesta ECOnetic Technology will deliver stunning fuel economy and still be fun to drive – a combination that would have seemed impossible a few years ago,” said Dr. Thilo Seibert, manager, Sustainability and Electrification Strategy, Ford of Europe.

Ford also plans to show at Frankfurt a Ford Focus powered by the new 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, which delivers both impressive fuel efficiency and surprising performance due to direct fuel injection and turbocharging.

The three vehicles are part of an aggressive strategy to make leading fuel efficiency and green technologies available to more customers under the Ford ECOnetic Technology badge.

The expansion of ECOnetic Technology is also part of Ford’s overall sustainability strategy, including the target of reducing CO2 emissions of its cars by 30 per cent between 2006 and 2020.  Since 2006, Ford has achieved an 11 per cent reduction in CO2 and said it’s on track to meet the commitment. A further 10 g/km overall fleet improvement will be achieved within the next two years.

Ford’s innovative range of low-CO2 features will be available in an increasing number of Ford vehicles in Europe qualifying them to wear the ECOnetic Technology badge, which will be applied from October to all Ford cars that are the leaders or among the very best in terms of fuel economy in their segments. The badge will appear on more than 30 models by the end of next year.

ECOnetic Technology features like Auto-Start-Stop, Smart Regenerative Charging, Active Grille Shutter, ECO Mode and other fuel-saving features are already or will be available on Fiesta, C?MAX, Grand C-MAX, Focus, Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy by the end of this year. Ford is the only non-premium manufacturer currently offering Active Grille Shutter.

In terms of sales, about half of Ford cars sold in the second half of 2012 in Europe will carry the ECOnetic Technology badge – increasing to an expected two-thirds by mid-2013.

The ECOnetic Technology badged petrol and diesel passenger cars will be powered by the 1.0-litre or 1.6-litre EcoBoost engines or the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel engine – all commercial vehicles will be powered by lean Stage V TDCi diesel engines.

The ECOnetic Technology range also will include all the electrified Ford models, the Ford Focus Electric, an all-electric vehicle that debuts next year, and the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid coming to market in 2013.

“The Ford ECOnetic Technology initiative will include more and more Ford vehicles in the near future and we’re confident that our customers will appreciate the substantial improvements in fuel economy and cost-of-ownership,” said Graham Hoare, executive director, Powertrain, Ford of Europe.

Latest Low-CO2 Technologies

To achieve the outstanding fuel economy, Fiesta and Focus ECOnetic Technology employ the latest low-CO2technologies in their powertrains, aerodynamics and driver information systems, including:

Both the Fiesta and Focus ECOnetic Technology feature a number of other low-CO2 technologies which are also standard items on most models in the new Focus and Fiesta line-ups.  These include:

Unique High-Efficiency Engine

Powering both ECOnetic Technology models is a new version of the 1.6-litre Ford Duratorq TDCi diesel engine – producing 95 PS in the Fiesta and 105 PS in the Focus – which has been optimised for enhanced fuel efficiency with a new injection system, additional friction reduction features, more efficient combustion system, enhanced cooling and revised engine management.

The common rail fuel injection system of the shared diesel engine has been completely redesigned, with improved eight-hole injectors and controlled by a more powerful engine management system.  The new injection system delivers more precise control and increased combustion efficiency.

To provide more accurate control of the charge air temperature and to deliver a cooler, denser charge, the Focus engine’s intake system features a water-cooled charge cooler in place of the standard air-to-air system. This reduces pumping losses and allows cooler, denser charge on acceleration. The Focus also uses a new variable geometry turbocharger design as opposed to the Fiesta’s fixed geometry unit.

Another feature that is unique for the Focus ECOnetic Technology is the lean NOx trap in combination with a coated diesel particulate filter. Originally addressing NOx emissions only, it is a key enabler of the record low CO2 emissions as it allows an even leaner combustion process in the engine. The NOx emissions are adsorbed in the trap and neutralised into nitrogen and water in the regeneration phase of the trap.

Other new, or completely revised, engine features that enhance the fuel efficiency of both models include:

The 1.6-litre diesel in the Focus ECOnetic Technology is paired with Ford’s six-speed Durashift manual transmission, which is also used in other new Focus models with the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel and the 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engines. This transmission is a new high-efficiency design which has been optimised to eliminate frictional losses, utilising special low friction transmission oil and a revised final drive ratio to offer improved fuel economy when cruising in top gear.

The lighter Fiesta ECOnetic Technology uses a five-speed manual transmission that also has been optimised to eliminate frictional losses. Enhanced gear ratios with a longer final drive mean the Fiesta will also prove highly economical on longer motorway journeys.

“We achieved the low emissions and the class-leading fuel economy by analysing every single detail in the engine and transmission and effectively applying all our leading edge powertrain technologies wherever possible. And, importantly, we didn’t sacrifice the performance feel of the engine – it still delivers substantial power and torque,” Graham Hoare said.

Exclusive Aerodynamic Packages

The Focus ECOnetic Technology builds on the excellent aerodynamics of the standard all-new Focus’ bodyshell (5-door CD = 0.295) to further improve the drag co-efficient with a host of innovations including undershields and deflectors. A particularly effective additional feature is the standard advanced Active Grille Shutter.

Active Grille Shutter is an innovative system that optimises aerodynamics by using vents to control airflow through the grille to the cooling system and engine compartment. If air is required to cool the engine the vents are opened; but if no airflow is needed, the vents are shut, thereby significantly reducing aerodynamic drag.

The motorised horizontal vanes in the grille, that can be rotated into 16 different positions, are automatically controlled by the car’s electronic control unit – from fully closed to fully open – depending on the amount of air required. When fully closed, the reduction in drag means that the Active Grille Shutter can reduce CO2emissions by two per cent.

Fiesta ECOnetic Technology has an exclusive aerodynamics package itself, with specially developed undershields to help air pass unobstructed beneath the car. Rear wheel spoilers also help deflect wind past the wheel arches, helping to significantly reduce the amount of drag induced.

“ECOnetic Technology effectively encompasses all the elements that make a car more fuel-efficient and we’re constantly improving these elements – and making them available in more and more Ford cars,” Thilo Seibert ends.

* Fuel economy figures quoted are in line with the European Fuel Economy Directive EU 80/1268/EEC and will differ from fuel economy drive cycle results in other regions of the world.

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By Cars UK