[GoGreen]

Ford's new 3-cylinder engine can actually turn into a 2 through the use of cylinder deactivation.

The Fiesta ST will be getting the 1.5L turbo 3-pot in Europe sometime early next year and it actually features some impressive numbers. It'll come with 197hp which is pretty impressive.

Now, we also look at the 1.0L three cylinder that they have and that would be getting the cylinder deactivation tech as well, that should be coming early next year too.

Unfortunately, I didn't see any mention of the EcoSport receiving this engine option as it only says the Fiesta and Focus. .

Ford engineers in Europe and in Dearborn, using technology from German supplier Schaeffler Group, designed the engine to shut down cylinder No. 1 by using oil pressure to activate a special rocker on the camshaft that prevents the lobes from opening the valves. Ford has not said if the 2018 Fiesta ST will be sold outside Europe.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20170313/OEM04/303139956/fords-new-3-banger-can-run-on-2-cylinders

 

[workingclasshero]

If the EcoSport doesn't get it now, then in the not too distant future it will. We're only now seeing this product, gasoline engines (contrary to the green movement) still have a long way to go in development, then all the billions of barrels of oil to be used... Ford will run this on gasoline as long as they can.

On a bigger scale it can play right into a future pairing with hybrid tech.

 

[GoGreen]

With such a small motor, pairing it with an electric motor could be really beneficial. Even something like a single electric motor powering rear wheels with the 1.0 up front.

 

[Econobox]

Deactivating cylinders is usually used for improved fuel economy so vehicles with it should come with an Eco drive mode. I think the EcoSport is coming with it anyways.

 

[GoGreen]

Cylinder deactivation is only used for improving fuel economy. I'm unsure of any other situations it's used for?

 

[WeeSUV]

I think it's also called active fuel management and usually found in V6 or V8 engines so it can turn off half of its cylinders in light-load driving conditions to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Not sure if it makes much sense to put it in a 3 cylinder engine.

 

[GoGreen]

That's the other thing I was thinking about... being a smaller 3 cylinder engine, it's going to have to naturally use a majority of that engine at all times to keep the mass moving. Maybe I can see this activating on the highway when you're going at a constant speed but any incline and it'll be off. Gonna be interesting to see how it'll work out or if it's even that useful

 

[Econobox]

Heard active fuel management is good for high output engines when the engine is operating under less than full load, with less cylinders active the ones remaining will get a full charge of air on each intake stroke.

 

[GoGreen]

But these are going to be far from a high output engine... so why install something unnecessary?

 

[WeeSUV]

You'd have to ask Ford that as they're the ones who are installing it into the Ecosport. I assume it's to increase the vehicle's fuel economy even more to draw in the gas conscious buyers.

 

[GoGreen]

This could play into a much grander scheme though. By adding on a vehicle that shuts off a cylinder, in an already tiny engine, the EPA rating should be phenomenal. Now taking that into consideration means that their Fleet MPG is significantly increased, giving them more room to skimp on other vehicles and have higher performance outputs?

 

[Daniel-J]

It is worth asking the manufacturer if they have probably already found a way out of this situation or are developing it.