FLEX FUEL

Ford Flex Saves Fuel During Deceleration While Maintaining Best-In-Class Driveability

DEARBORN – The 2009 Ford Flex saves gas during normal slowdowns thanks to a new technology that temporarily interrupts fuel consumption while maintaining optimal engine operation and Ford’s best-in-class driveability. The Flex is the first Ford vehicle to use this fuel control system, which will be featured on most upcoming Ford Motor Company
vehicles.

Ford Flex
The Flex regulates its gas consumption by using aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off for an efficiency improvement of approximately 1 percent. This technology helps the Flex achieve 24 miles per gallon on the highway and 17 mpg in city driving, which means that there is no other vehicle in the full size crossover segment that gets better highway fuel economy. The fuel shut-off’s operation is automatic and requires no unusual actions from the driver. When the driver releases the accelerator pedal to slow down, the system temporarily turns off the fuel. The flow of fuel seamlessly resumes when the vehicle reaches a low speed or when the driver accelerates again. This provides a significant fuel economy benefit while continuing to deliver Ford’s best-in-class driveability. The deceleration fuel shut-off aggressively uses the transmission to keep the engine running at a low, more efficient operating point whenever possible.
To prevent engine hesitation normally associated with fuel interruption, Ford’s Powertrain calibration team developed proprietary software to integrate the technology with Ford’s best-in-class powertrain. “The Flex’s fuel management system is calibrated to operate imperceptibly to the driver,” said Kevin Layden, Ford Powertrain calibration chief engineer. “It saves fuel with no fluctuation in powertrain performance or compromise in driveability.”
The Flex is powered by Ford’s award-winning 3.5-liter V-6 engine delivering 262 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 248 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm, mated to an advanced 6-speed automatic transmission that uses a wide 6.04:1 gear ratio to achieve fuel efficiency that is 4 percent better than 4-speed automatic transmissions.
The crossover’s powerpack, which was introduced on the 2007 Ford Edge, achieved best-in-class driveability, outperforming a rival with identical hardware by a margin of four to one in categories including hard-start, rough idle, shift quality and hesitation surge due to calibration based on customer feedback.
“When we get customer feedback, we analyze every detail and link it to our objective metrics,” said Mazen Hammoud, Ford Powertrain calibration manager. “The Flex is built on the strength of Ford’s best-in-class powertrain and its driveability, which have been very well received by our customers.” With its daring and distinctive exterior and well-appointed interior, Flex makes a bold statement. In addition, the seven passenger Flex’s fuel economy of up to 24 mpg on the highway makes it a strong choice in these times of high gas prices. If you add the available SIRIUS Travel Link, Flex will even find you the cheapest gas and direct you straight to
the location – another great way to save a few dollars every fill-up.

MORE GAS SAVINGS TIPS

Drive to maximize your fuel economy

How changing the way you drive can help increase your fuel economy. Close fuel economy article
Here are some small changes you can make to your driving habits to help conserve gas.

Combine Trips
Making lots of short trips means you’re driving with your engine cold. And that uses more fuel than making one long trip with an engine that’s warmed up. Try combining your short trips around town as much as possible to optimize your fuel economy.
Drive Sensibly
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than just gas money.
Observe the Speed Limit
While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
Remove Excess Weight
Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your miles per gallon (mpg) by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
Avoid Excessive Idling
Idling gets 0 mpg. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines. If you know you’ll be stopped for a while, it’s actually better to turn off your engine instead of idling.Use Cruise Control Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
Use Overdrive Gears
When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.

Source: www.fueleconomy.gov

Get more out of your gas tank

How to improve your gas mileage Close fuel economy article

There are five simple things you can do to make sure you can get the most out of the fuel in your vehicle.
Maintain Proper Tire Inflation
Improve your gas mileage by around 3% by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.How to adjust tire pressure
Use Recommended Grade of Oil
Improve your gas mileage by 1-2% by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. The Dealership will use the correct grade for your vehicle every time you come in for an oil change.
Keep Engine Properly Tuned
Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve mileage by an average of 4%. Making sure your oxygen sensor is working properly can improve mileage by as much as 40%.Change Air Filter Replacing a clogged air filter improves your gas mileage by as much as 10%.Do you need a new air filter?
Perform Regular Maintenance
Improving the fuel economy of your vehicle starts with regular maintenance at your local Dealership. Following the maintenance schedule is an easy way to optimize your vehicle’s fuel economy.

Source: www.fueleconomy.gov

FORD vs OTHERS - GAS MILEAGE

Ford Motor Co.'s group vice president for global product development, Derrick Kuzak, said Wednesday that Ford would "achieve class-leading fuel economy" for its new cars and trucks in North America "through unprecedented spending on advanced gasoline engines."
That includes EcoBoost, a Ford-branded engine technology that combines gasoline-injection with turbocharging for up to a 20% improvement in fuel economy, as well as other technologies.
"We are committed to being the best or among the best in fuel economy with every new Ford product," Kuzak said during a daylong event for journalists at Ford's test track in Dearborn, where the automaker was showing off its 2009 lineup. That lineup includes the Ford Flex large crossover, the Lincoln MKS large sedan, and an all-new F-150, as well as updates to powertrains, paint colors and other options for many vehicles.
Kuzak boasted, for example, that the next-generation Explorer will offer "jaw-dropping" efficiency.
"We are making this happen," he added, "with one of the most extensive powertrain upgrades ever for Ford. By the end of 2010, nearly all of Ford's North American engines will be upgraded or replaced."
While this focus might seem like a shift from Ford's prior dedication to diesels, hybrid gasoline-electric engines, electric plug-in hybrids and other types of powertrains, Ford said it is not shying away from those technologies.
Rather, Ford sees improvements in traditional gasoline engines as the best near-term solution while the marketplace sorts through the variety of options now on the table for the future. That's because these technologies offer more improvements in fuel efficiency for the buck when compared with hybrids, which usually come with a hefty premium.
A poster at the Ford event says a customer who drives 15,000 miles a year can save $339 annually with EcoBoost.
Jim Hall, managing director of 2953 Analytics, a Birmingham forecasting and consulting firm, said he believes that Ford is embarking on the proper strategy.
"The cost to do advanced gasoline engines is actually more reasonable from an investment standpoint than running willy-nilly into hybrids. Hybrids still have an incredible price premium," he said. "EcoBoost is a significant move."
Ford has not said how much it will charge for EcoBoost, but it has promised that consumers will see a financial return on an EcoBoost engine faster than a hybrid.
The first applications of EcoBoost will come with the 2009 Lincoln MKS and Ford Flex crossover. Four-cylinder EcoBoost engines are to debut in 2010 in both North America and Europe.
By 2012, Ford said it would offer EcoBoost on more than 80% of its North American lineup.
By that year, Ford will also have doubled its production of six-speed transmissions to 98% of the North American lineup, said Dan Kapp, Ford director of advanced research and engineering.
Meanwhile, Ford still plans to double its hybrid volume and offerings next year, when the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid are to begin arriving in showrooms.
"We'll make sure we're well represented in the marketplace," Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, said explaining the new multifaceted approach.
Kuzak did not answer questions about his remarks about advanced gasoline-powered engines, but in the recent past, Ford has also studied turbo boosting that uses ethanol to improve power and efficiency.
"We're researching it," Ford spokesman Said Deep said of the technology.
Ford's focus on improved fuel efficiency has already boosted the efficiency of the 2009 Ford Escape.
When equipped with a 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed transmission, the new Escape offers a better combined city and highway fuel-economy rating than the Toyota RAV4 or the Honda CR-V.
"It's not been often in the past that we've been able to say that," Kuzak said.

Drop into the dealership for a test drive and see the advantages to owning a FORD, MERCURY or LINCOLN.