Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[UPDATE: More news on Ford's forthcoming ethanol injected, turbocharged "Bobcat" V8]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/09/update-on-fords-new-bobcat-ethanol-injected-turbocharged-v8/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/09/update-on-fords-new-bobcat-ethanol-injected-turbocharged-v8/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/09/update-on-fords-new-bobcat-ethanol-injected-turbocharged-v8/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pickuptrucks.com has been doing some digging in the U.S. Department of Energy's document treasure trove and uncovered some information on Ford's new Bobcat (no, not the Mercury). It turns out "Bobcat" is the code name for a new boosted and ethanol-powered engine being developed in Dearborn.

The Bobcat engine is a new 5.0-liter V8 with gasoline port injection and turbocharging. A second set of direct injectors is used to feed a small amount of ethanol directly to the cylinders. The ethanol is used primarily for charge cooling, allowing the engine to run at higher boost and compression levels. It also allows the engine to run much leaner. Normally, running lean causes higher combustion temperatures, thus increasing production of NOx. However, the ethanol helps to alleviate the NOx by reducing combustion temperatures, and according to the data, Ford has been able to increase the brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) of a prototype E85 DI V6 engine from the standard 17 BAR to about 27 BAR.

BMEP is a measure of specific output of an engine independent of displacement. That BMEP of 27 BAR in a 3.5-liter V6 translates to a torque output of 553 lb-ft. Compare this to 350 lb-ft from a standard 3.5-liter Ecoboost and you know good things are on the way. Specifically, the 5.0-liter Bobcat can produce over 500 hp and 750 lb-ft of torque. That's the kind of torque number typically associated with big diesel engines and handily beats the 650 lb-ft of the 6.4-liter diesel currently offered in the Super Duty pickups.

The beauty of this particular ethanol boosting is that it can potentially offer better-than-diesel performance and efficiency without the expensive particulate filter and urea injection systems. If the concept can be scaled down effectively to smaller displacement engines, it could be the next step beyond the Ecoboost engines coming over the next couple of years.

[Source: PickupTrucks]

UPDATE: More news on Ford's forthcoming ethanol injected, turbocharged "Bobcat" V8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bobcatethanol boostethanol boosted direct injectionethanol boostingEthanolBoostEthanolBoostedDirectInjectionEthanolBoostingfordTue, 09 Jun 2009 19:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Ford developing next-gen, ethanol-boosted engines under Bobcat codename]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/02/ford-developing-next-gen-ethanol-boosted-engines-under-codename/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/02/ford-developing-next-gen-ethanol-boosted-engines-under-codename/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/02/ford-developing-next-gen-ethanol-boosted-engines-under-codename/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ford has yet to release its first EcoBoost engines but is reportedly already hard at work on the technology's next phase. Rumors indicate that the new engine technology is codenamed Bobcat and uses small amounts of ethanol injection to improve power and reduce emissions. Ethanol carries a very high octane rating, which allows an engine to be tuned for more power. An engine with ethanol injection can run a much higher compression ratio along with a small turbocharger as the ethanol would be injected directly into the engine's combustion chamber, thereby eliminating precompression, which is more commonly referred to as knock and can be extremely hazardous to your engine's health. The alcohol injection would be performed on an entirely different fuel injection system as the gasoline, complete with its own fuel tank. It would have to be closely metered, but should only need refilled once every few months since the amount used would be so small.

Early estimates put the new Bobcat engine tech at about a $1,100 price premium over a standard gasoline engine, but the turbocharging and gasoline direct injection that makes up EcoBoost accounts for $700 of that charge. While that may seem like a steep amount, consider that many truck buyers opt for high-power diesel engines that carry premiums of $5,000 or more.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Ford developing next-gen, ethanol-boosted engines under Bobcat codename originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bobcatecoboostethanolethanol boostEthanolBoostTue, 02 Sep 2008 17:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Hybrid fuel efficiency for one-fifth the cost, and no batteries?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/26/hybrid-fuel-efficiency-for-one-fifth-the-cost-and-no-batteries/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/26/hybrid-fuel-efficiency-for-one-fifth-the-cost-and-no-batteries/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/26/hybrid-fuel-efficiency-for-one-fifth-the-cost-and-no-batteries/#commentsFiled under: , ,

MIT-based startup Ethanol Boosting Systems has another use for fuel that goes way beyond E85 fuel in terms of reduced emissions and increased fuel efficiency. Best of all, the added cost of the EBS solution is said to be less than $1,000.

EBS uses as-needed direct injection of ethanol in a turbocharged gasoline-fueled engine to boost the overall fuel octane rating to more than 130. The high octane rating allows the engine to use massive levels of turbo boost without lowering the engine's compression. To make a long story short -lots of power and torque can be produced very efficiently by a small engine, with a 1.5-liter 4 cylinder EBS engine producing roughly the same performance as a 3.0-liter V6, using much less fuel.

A really interesting aspect of the EBS solution is the low quantity of ethanol needed to enable a car with the fuel efficiency of a hybrid - a two- to six-gallon auxiliary ethanol tank would last for two to four months of driving.

Much more info at the EBS site here.

[Thanks for the tip, Kevin!]

Hybrid fuel efficiency for one-fifth the cost, and no batteries? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Apr 2006 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ebsethanolethanol boostethanol boostingfuel efficiencyWed, 26 Apr 2006 12:34:00 EST