Ford Motor Company says that about a quarter of all new car buyers are willing to pay extra for a more fuel efficient engine, as long as their extra outlay pays off within about four years.
Those figures,
said the automaker's Vice President of Powertrain Engineering, Joe Bakaj, have driven Ford's powertrain strategy over the last few years as it has rolled out its EcoBoost powertrain lineup.
Ford's EcoBoost line features downsized engines that make up for their size deficit with direct injection and single or twin turbochargers. Ford charges a premium for its EcoBoosted engines, which are quickly becoming optional on nearly all of its vehicles. The automaker has seen the highest volume success in its F-Series pickup line, where it gambled with an extra-cost 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost motor that makes more usable power and torque than its 5.0-liter V8. Since Ford debuted the engine for the 2011 model year, 43 percent of pickup buyers - the most conservative shoppers in the business, at least as far as powertrains go - have opted for the EcoBoost V6 despite a price premium that can approach $1,500 on some models.
Bakaj also indicated that the automaker's long-term efficiency strategy hinges around both vehicle range and the ease of charging or refueling, which helps explain why Ford has been a bit slower than rivals like GM, Toyota and Nissan at introducing mass-market EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Ford's first EV, the
Focus Electric, went on sale earlier this summer, while its
C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid hits the market this fall.
At $29,995 after a federal tax rebate, the C-Max Energi still won't recoup its higher list price over the standard
C-Max hybrid after four years, but Bakaj says that's all right because the two vehicles share most of their components, which helps reduce Ford's manufacturing costs.
