The 2.7L EcoBoost Success Story Rivals that of Aluminum
When the 2015 Ford F-150 was announced, many people expressed concerns over the aluminum alloy body that would replace the steel body of the previous-generation of the truck. However, as time progressed sales showed that the consumer wasn’t worried about aluminum. People vote with their dollars, and they continued to vote for the F-150.
To me, the 2.7L EcoBoost’s success story is something that is truly impressive. I am a big fan of the engine, and I wish that Ford offered it in the higher-trim levels of the truck, but the new engine that came with the new F-150 posed potential risk. Until this point, buyers of trims like XLT either went with the standard V6 engine, or paid to upgrade to the V8.
The 2.7L EcoBoost is an inexpensive upgrade over the base engine. For just $795 — that’s half the price of the upgrade to the 5.0L V8 — buyers get 375 lb-ft of torque. For comparison, the V8’s torque figure sits at 387 lb-ft. The EcoBoost also makes the torque lower on the rev range. For many people, that performance is near-as-makes-no-difference the same as the V8 for half the price.
Because of the low cost of entry for the 2.7L EcoBoost, Ford dealerships across the country selected to have their trucks built with that engine. They could say that the EcoBoost provides the power and performance of a V8 for less money. To me, that seems like a no-brainer, but some people are V8 die-hards and wouldn’t probably go for it.
EcoBoost is now more than 60% of F-150 sales. 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 is best-selling engine in lineup at ~32%. pic.twitter.com/r7eimXQL2E
— Mike Levine (@mrlevine) June 29, 2016
That definitely wasn’t the case. The XLT trim is the best-selling trim of F-150, and EcoBoost adoption sits at 60% overall. But the real winner is the 2.7L. A staggering 32% of all F-150 engines is the 2.7L EcoBoost.
While the pump was already primed in the previous-generation truck — the 3.5L EcoBoost was already an option — buyers maybe knew about the benefits of the turbo six but could’ve still been skeptical. But they’ve come out in droves to buy it.
Convincing die-hard truck buyers to not get a V8 is an impressive feat that Ford managed to pull off.
The 2.7L EcoBoost has a lot of benefits. From the factory it included start-stop technology. That means that emissions are saved at traffic lights and a little bit of fuel stays in the tank. Thanks to the fuel savings the small engine delivers overall, it has the cumulative effecting of saving drivers money, lowering the dependence on oil, and helping the environment.
As we mentioned yesterday, 110 million gallons of fuel is saved per year by EcoBoost F-150 drivers!
When I started covering Ford a few years ago as an automotive journalist, I never expected that in such a short time that the F-150 would be mostly powered by a turbocharged V6. The times definitely are changing.
What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or over in the forums!
