New Ford Focus ECOnetic with Start-Stop Targets 62 mpg US, 99 gCO2/km

16 September 2009

The 2010 Ford Focus ECOnetic. Click to enlarge.

At the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford of Europe introduced the new 2010 Focus ECOnetic. When equipped with a new optional Ford Auto-Start-Stop system that was previewed on the Ford iosis MAX Concept at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, the 2010 Focus ECOnetic is targeting average combined cycle fuel consumption of 3.8L/100km (62 mpg US) with CO₂ emissions as low as 99 g/km.

Regardless of whether Auto-Start-Stop is specified, the Focus ECOnetic has Smart Regenerative Charging and Low Tension FEAD (Front End Accessory Drive) technologies that are new to the Ford of Europe product line-up, and which combine to deliver lower emissions and better fuel efficiency. The standard Focus ECOnetic offers combined cycle fuel consumption of 4.0L/100km (59 mpg US) and CO₂ emissions of 104 g/km.

Power comes from Ford’s 108 hp (80kW) 1.6-liter Duratorq TDCi engine with standard coated Diesel Particulate Filter (cDPF).

We combined the proven approach of the original Focus ECOnetic model with even more detail improvements and all-new technologies. The new Focus ECOnetic is particularly significant as it paves the way for some of these technologies to be implemented into our core vehicle series in the near future.

—Dr. Thilo Seibert, Manager CO₂ Technologies for Ford of Europe

Auto-Start-Stop. The new Focus ECOnetic five-door is the first European Ford to offer a new Ford Auto-Start-Stop system, which combines automatic engine start-stop operation with the car’ smart regenerative charging and advanced battery management systems.

The system can reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by up to 5% in mixed driving conditions. In an urban environment and in heavy traffic with frequent stops the savings could increase to as much as 10%.

When the engine shuts down, the electronic control unit immediately prepares the engine’s systems for an instant restart. An integrated system of sensors is then used to detect when the driver performs an action that signals the intent to drive off, such as pressing the accelerator or clutch pedal.

As soon as the driver prepares to move away, the engine starts quietly and almost instantly; it only takes the system around 0.3 sec to fire up the engine. The process is near imperceptible, and happens before gear selection is completed.

To support the increased number of engine starts, the starter motor is upgraded with a high performance electric motor and a stronger pinion-engagement mechanism with reduced noise levels.

Smart Regenerative Charging. A Smart Regenerative Charging system increases the alternator output when the vehicle brakes or decelerates. This converts the kinetic energy of the vehicle into electric energy without having to use additional fuel.

The ‘free’ electric current is used to recharge the battery, so that it can be used by the electrical systems at a later stage. This could be when the engine is switched off during a stop-phase, but can also be when the generator is operating in a less efficient mode.

The battery has an advanced management system that continually monitors its status and communicates with the Ford Auto-Start-Stop system, so that the regenerative charging feature can charge the battery in the optimal way. The start-stop system knows how much battery charge is available, so that it can leave the engine running if the battery does not have a sufficient level of charge.

Low Tension FEAD. It has always been an integral element of the Ford ECOnetic approach to monitor potential sources of friction and find innovative solutions to make everything work even more efficiently. The Low Tension FEAD (Front End Accessory Drive) technology is the latest example that reinforces this.

A newly designed alternator bracket and new belt pulley design enable the tension of the front end accessory drive belt to be lowered without causing issues that are normally related to drive belt slackness such as increased wear of the belt itself or the alternator bearings, as well as raised noise levels.

With the belt at a lower tension, friction in the entire system is reduced and less friction leads to reduced fuel consumption.

Improved Duratorq TDCi engine technology. For the Ford Duratorq 1.6-litre TDCi engine, new injectors were specified, while the intake system was revised and the exhaust system fitted with an oxygen sensor. The engine management system was recalibrated and a standard coated Diesel Particulate Filter (cDPF) was added. No additives are required for the filtering process.

Additionally, the gear ratios of the Ford Durashift five-speed manual gearbox have been revised, offering a longer ratio for third, fourth and fifth gears—bringing down engine revs and engine noise.

New Ford Eco Mode. The new Ford Focus ECOnetic also introduces new driver-focused software. The new Ford Eco Mode system is a software application that is added to the instrument cluster to give the driver useable and realistic eco-driving advice.

This system monitors major parameters relevant for optimal fuel consumption that can actively be influenced by altering driving behavior. These parameters include gear shifting, anticipation (driving as consistently and smoothly as possible) and motorway driving (driving with the most efficient speed on motorways and country roads). In addition the system considers the percentage of cold-engine short trips.

As a result of this monitoring process, Ford Eco Mode generates a driver profile with a scoring scheme for these driving parameters, and offers information on how to improve fuel economy over time. This ongoing process can be translated into driver advice that can help make the best of the vehicle’s technology.

Other ECOnetic elements. To improve aerodynamics, the Focus ECOnetic is lowered by 10mm at the front and 8mm at the rear, while the outer areas of the lower grille are fitted with blanking plates on the inside surface which contribute to the vehicle’s coefficient of drag of 0.31. The car uses Michelin Energy Saver 195/65R15 tires to lower rolling resistance.

A further measure to reduce friction continued from the original Focus ECOnetic, is the use of low-viscosity transmission oil developed by Ford’s energy partner BP. Ford subsequently introduced it as the standard transmission oil for all of the company’s core C- and CD-segment passenger cars fitted with manual transmission and dual-mass flywheel.

The reduction in energy consumption is combined with the efficiency of the Focus EHPAS (Electro-Hydraulic Power Assisted Steering) system and underlines the fact that seemingly minor changes can produce a major fuel consumption benefit. By re-calibrating the no-load performance of the electric servo pump, energy consumption was reduced sufficiently to provide a noticeable reduction in fuel consumption.

The new 2010 Focus ECOnetic with Auto-Start-Stop will be available as a five-door model only in selected European markets from early 2010.