Ford hybrids will be profitable this year

 

I can see that. Since there have been no big changes in 5 years, the R&D cost is now spread over 100,000 cars, vs. 20,000 the first year.

 

Wow, they might be dumping the Adkinson/Miller cycle motors.

 

Maybe Mark or someone else can explain the effect of installing varible valve timing on the current 2.3L Atkinson engine found in the Escape Hybrid. Would this boost torque-horsepower at the expense of fuel economy? Would this be a cheaper (better?) solution for the Hybrid?

As for the EcoBoost system, Ford only has to look at Mazda. Mazda currently has this type of setup in the 2.3L engine found in the CX7 and CX9 vehicles. Maybe we should sent QueenMary an e-mail since she recently traded in her FWD Escape Hybrid for the CX7 AWD Mazda.

 

A very interesting question. Doesn't our ICE attempt to create an Adkinson cycle by playing with valve timing already, instead of by the more typical asymmetrical stroke lengths?

 

The EcoBoost will be interesting to see. I see two problems with that: 1) turbos need premium gas and 2) once you step into the boost, your mpg drops FAST (my old Outback would run about 4mpg at WOT). However, if it were designed to run on ethanol, that would take care of point 1--and make point 2 worse!

Regardless, I am stoked to see that they will be profitable on the Hybrids. I wish they had the capacity to make as many cars as consumers demand!

 

dang it, now I want audio controls and an EcoBoost!

 

The FEH does play with the valve timing to simulate the Atkinson cycle. But, the FEH timing is static. Variable valve timing dynamically changes the valves' point of opening to achieve improved efficiency, emmisions, or power.

 

With VVT, would one have an engine that actually could dynamically vary between Atkinson and Otto cycles? Well, again, with Atkinson being Ford's interpretation based on value timing.

 

I think the extent to which variable valve timing on a conventional engine can simulate Atkinson cycle is limited since the compression ratio can't be varied. Once you have a high compression ratio (12 to 1 or more), there is a limit to how much you can reduce the valve overlap at low speed before you get serious detonation, even with adjustable timing.

Also, adding turbocharging or supercharging is not necessarily performance oriented. You can control the supercharging to give compression boost where you need it most to maximize economy.

There are probably a lot of potential gains in adjusting the cycle but in the real world they are probably 5 - 10% gains and not 30-40% gains.