Review 2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid S Sedan Ivct Atkinson-cycle I-4 Engine and Electric Motor

The Ward's 10 Best Engines competition has recognized outstanding powertrain development for 16 years. This calendar month, Ward'southward examines the design philosophy behind Ford's hybrid-electric powertrain.

Few would dispute Toyota Motor Corp. is the established manufacture leader in hybrid-electric vehicles, at least in terms of sales book, yet Ford Motor Co. now is emerging as a hybrid-technology leader in both energy efficiency and client-pleasing refinement.

Ford's leadership begins with the numbers. Ward's ten Best Engines '10 Ford Fusion Hybrid delivers an center-opening 41/36 mpg (5.7-half-dozen.5 Fifty /100 km) metropolis/highway, in Environmental Protection Agency testing, compared with 33/34 (7.1-6.nine L/100 km) for the similar-size Toyota Camry Hybrid and 35/33 mpg (six.7-7 L/100 km) for the Nissan Altima Hybrid, which uses Toyota technology coupled to its own 2.5L 4-cyl. engine.

And it continues to have a superb level of refinement for an HEV, all of which have inherent noise, vibration and harshness bug because of the complex interaction betwixt the gas engine and electrical motors.

Ford's original Escape Hybrid was powered by what many erroneously believed was a clone of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Bulldoze system. It drove adequately well and offered surprising fuel economy for a compact cross/utility vehicle. Only it allowable little attending and sold in modest numbers.

However, Ford'southward truly impressive Gen II hybrid arrangement in the essentially upgraded '10 Fusion midsize sedan is a whole new brawl game.

Its new 156-hp, 136 lb.-ft. (184 Nm) 2.5L DOHC Atkinson-cycle aluminum I-iv teams with a 106-hp electrical drive motor for a surprisingly satisfying combined acme output of 191 hp. It too tin drive up to 47 mph (76 km/h) solely nether electric power.

That'due south useful when scouring a parking lot for a space, creeping along in a traffic jam or just impressing passengers.

Ford's recently updated '10 Escape Hybrid offers a "Gen 1.5" arrangement that shares the Fusion's ii.5L iVCT (intelligent variable cam timing) engine, system controls, higher-ability battery cells and electric compressor.

What it doesn't however take are the Fusion Hybrid's next-generation transaxle (with downsized traction motor and generator); its smaller, lighter nickel-metallic-hydride battery pack; or its heave converter, which temporarily can raise voltage to bulldoze the motor past up to 160%.

Besides sharing its 2-motor torque-split operating concept, what does Ford'due south Gen II system have in mutual with Toyota'south Synergy Drive? Nearly zip, says Sherif Marakby, director-electrification programs and engineering, who probably is tired of that question.

"Our system is not similar in any style to Toyota's," he says. "The hardware and execution of the software are unique. Nosotros do all the controls and software and all the calibration in-house. Ford has over 200 patents on the control system just on this architecture."

"We spent a lot of fourth dimension sizing and optimizing the design of the components, including the battery, the motors, the inverters that drive the motors and the ability menses for highest efficiency."

In normal operation with a fully charged bombardment, the system runs at an optimal 400 volts, and the new heave converter increases the voltage simply as needed.

"Depending on what the driver is demanding, we try to run as much as possible at the most efficient points of the electrical components," Marakby says.

Nosotros also look at the BSFC (brake specific fuel consumption) map of the engine and run information technology at its optimal point, and nosotros rest all that through the control system to manage the energy."

"Certainly, everyone is trying to optimize their systems. But the Fusion Hybrid has superior fuel economy vs. the competition, considering of how we execute the arrangement and optimize the free energy beyond components, not merely for each component."

Dean Tomazic, vice president-Engine Functioning and Emissions Div. at FEV Inc., agrees. He says the importance of controls, operating strategy and software programming play a pivotal role in the performance of HEVs and creating the subtle nuances that end up impressing drivers.

It is a battle that will proceed to exist waged as HEVs grow ever more circuitous, Tomazic says. "Controls and operating strategy will evolve continuously for a long, long time."

Marakby says the other major Gen II engineering priority was improving the general refinement of the powertrain.

"Our vision is the all-time fuel economy and the almost refined, significant very smooth operation. When the engine stops and starts as often equally it does in a hybrid, it should exist completely transparent to nearly customers."

One primal contributor to that is the new engine'due south intelligent variable cam timing, which reduces airflow on start-upwards and shutdown while improving catalyst efficiency. Another is the Gen II'south avant-garde command system.

Yet, muting or eliminating the multitude of unusual sounds that a complicated HEV powertrain can emit during normal performance is a challenge.

"One matter we learned on the original Escape Hybrid was that the customer tin can deal with predicted noises," he says. "If you're accelerating, you look to hear the engine. Merely customers practise not like noises that are not expected."

So Ford engineers worked difficult on unwanted sounds from the traction motor, motor-driven pumps and the brake arrangement'due south vacuum pump.

"There are a lot of frequencies that come up out of the motor, especially when y'all're slowing or braking, and so we spent a lot of fourth dimension developing the software and controls of the traction motor to avert sure frequencies during some maneuvers," Marakby says.

Ford engineers also reduced the system'due south cost by more than than 30%, largely through component integration and battery downsizing. "Our goals were lighter, smaller and lower price, plus efficiency, and nosotros were able to deliver on all of those attributes on most components."

Yet, there still is lots of room for improvement. Ford's Gen Iii HEV will be better and more refined and more efficient, and it will price less, Marakby says. One reason for his confidence is lithium-ion battery technology.

"I think as an industry, our future is lithium-ion," he says. "Nosotros are spending a lot of time characterizing the chemistry and making sure we're operating very efficiently."

The plan is to launch battery-electrics with Li-ion in the adjacent year, and the next-generation HEVs and plug-in HEV will launch by 2012 with Li-ion battery packs.

"(Li-ion) is smaller, lighter and more efficient. It's three times the voltage per cell vs. today's NiMH, so you're generally using a 3rd of the cells to get the same voltage. We're working on the cost, and information technology's looking very promising," Marakby says.

In addition, Ford's hybrid engineers are going through a component size, weight and cost and efficiency optimization effort similar to what they did for Gen Ii.

"A lot of these components are running at 94%-96% efficiency," Marakby says, "And we're taking the next steps to go out a few more than percentage. You'll definitely encounter improve fuel economy as nosotros go forward."

FEVs Tomaczik says the further electrification of engine accessories such as the water pump is another likely step.

Notwithstanding, making HEV engineering science more affordable remains a herculean task, Marakby admits.

"Most manufacturers price hybrids $2,000-$iii,000 higher up base vehicles with comparable equipment, but nosotros are non at the point yet of being able to get the toll down (to that margin)," Marakby says. "That'southward why you don't come across fifty% market share for hybrids out there."

– with Drew Winter

forbesjuse1976.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.wardsauto.com/news-analysis/ford-25l-i-4-hybrid-unprecedented-efficiency-refinement

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