It could also be used to power future engines for F-150.
What does the Ford F-150 have in common with a Formula 1 vehicle? Except for the fact that they both have four wheels and an internal combustion motor, there is not much to be found. While that might change in the future, the goal is not to increase power. This benchmark is higher fuel efficiency.
Ford is said to be looking into prechamber ignition technology for gasoline engines. Diesel enthusiasts will be familiar with this terminology. This is because diesel engines have used prechamber ignition technology for gasoline engines since at least the older applications that did not use direct injection. According to Ford is part of a $10 million, three-year project to improve fuel efficiency for boosted engines. This project is reportedly aimed at a 23 percent increase in efficiency over the EcoBoost V6 3.5-liter engine, while also reducing engine weight by 15%.
The prechamber makes it easier to burn the mixture of air and fuel in the combustion chamber. This allows for faster combustion, which is what happens when the piston starts its downward push. A faster burn rate can result in a more efficient engine that runs cooler and is also less expensive. It is difficult to find a way to squeeze a lot of items into a small combustion chamber. Although the report is more detailed, we will stick to this summary.
What does this mean in the real world, you ask? The 2021 F-150 is currently rated at 20 combined mpg by the Environmental Protection Agency. This pickup is a two-wheel-drive with EcoBoost V6 engine, so an increase of 23 percent in efficiency would translate into a modest 4.6 mpg improvement. Although the report does not provide any information on performance enhancements, the current EcoBoost V6 generates 400 horsepower (298kilowatts), so it isn’t exactly lacking in power.
This tech could be found in future Ford F-150s and other Ford vehicles. We believe anything is possible, however, with electric power becoming more mainstream in the automotive industry, there are still some questions.