Ford’s Fuel Economy Plan Doesn’t Include Diesels, Global Products Boss Explains Why

Despite plans by both Mazda and General Motors to bring diesel passenger cars to North America, Ford isn’t biting. The moves made by both automakers are partially in response to demand, but more importantly in response to increasingly strict CAFE standards that they need to meet.

According to Ford global product boss Derrick Kuzak, the automaker doesn’t need to sell diesels, (like the 65-mpg Fiesta EcoNetic offered in the U.K.), in the U.S. because of its EcoBoost gasoline engine technology.

“We could easily bring diesels to the U.S. market,” he said in an interview with Automotive News but, “We are not going to force it on customers.”

According to Kuzak, Ford’s fuel efficient powertrain plan is, “driven by affordability,” and at current fuel prices and the added cost of a diesel powertrain, he estimates it could take up to 10 years for customers to see the benefits of diesel.

While skyrocketing gas prices may change that, in the mean time Ford is committed to its EcoBoost plan of adding direct-injection and turbochargers to smaller engines to achieve fuel economy close to that found in modern diesels.

[Source: Automotive News]