Ford's Fuel Economy Plan Doesn't Include Diesels, Global Products Boss Explains Why
Despite plans by both Mazda and General Motors to bring diesel passenger cars to North America, Ford isn’t biting. The moves made by both automakers are partially in response to demand, but more importantly in response to increasingly strict CAFE standards that they need to meet.
According to Ford global product boss Derrick Kuzak, the automaker doesn’t need to sell diesels, (like the 65-mpg Fiesta EcoNetic offered in the U.K.), in the U.S. because of its EcoBoost gasoline engine technology.
“We could easily bring diesels to the U.S. market,” he said in an interview with Automotive News but, “We are not going to force it on customers.”
According to Kuzak, Ford’s fuel efficient powertrain plan is, “driven by affordability,” and at current fuel prices and the added cost of a diesel powertrain, he estimates it could take up to 10 years for customers to see the benefits of diesel.
While skyrocketing gas prices may change that, in the mean time Ford is committed to its EcoBoost plan of adding direct-injection and turbochargers to smaller engines to achieve fuel economy close to that found in modern diesels.
[Source: Automotive News]
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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I don't quite understand why Kuzak inferred that the diesel powertrain would cost more. If you go to the Ford UK site and price an EcoNetic Fiesta it costs around $200 less than the Zetec S with the 1.6 liter gasoline engine. It gets over 50% better gas mileage and diesel gas is nowhere near 50% more than regular gas. The EcoNetic Fiesta is under $20,000 in the UK. If they could do that here I would be very interested in purchasing one. I do like the idea of the 1.0 liter turbo as well.
Why do these guys think they are forcing it on their customers We are not going to force it on customers. I bet a great deal of people want diesels and the only affordable choice right now is VW.