Last Friday Ford announced its redesigned aluminum-bodied 2015 F-150 will offer the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings among full-size gas-powered pickups. When equipped with the new 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6, a turbocharged engine that includes Auto Stop-Start, the 4×2 F-150 delivers estimated ratings of 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.
The 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine has not been previously offered by Ford and is one of four powertrain options available for the updated line-up of this, the country’s best-selling vehicle. Also available for the F-150 line are a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, a 3.5-liter V6 without EcoBoost, and a 5.0-liter V8.
Depending on model, fuel economy for the 2015 Ford F-150 has improved between 5-20 percent when compared to current models, according to Ford. Ford’s use of “military spec” aluminum has caused much discussion in the industry and among drivers who use these vehicles both for personal and commercial purposes.
The 700 pounds or so saved thanks to aluminum will incrementally add up to a lot of fuel conserved given the sales volumes of these trucks, and such “lightweighting” is an alternate approach to improving powertrain efficiency, such as by hybridization.
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