Ford Adds Mild-Hybrid Tech To Fiesta Lineup

• Ford introduces electrified powertrain to top-selling Fiesta; EcoBoost Hybrid 48-volt tech delivers 5 per cent fuel efficiency improvement, enhances fun to drive character

• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Speed Sign Recognition introduced to help drivers negotiate city and highway traffic with greater confidence

• FordPass Connect modem helps deliver seamless ownership experience and enables features including remote locking and unlocking via the FordPass mobile app 

COLOGNE, Germany, June 8, 2020 – The popular Ford Fiesta compact hatchback – the automaker’s best-selling model in Europe – is now available to order with an electrified powertrain for the first time, Ford today announced.

Ford EcoBoost Hybrid powertrains will deliver enhanced fuel efficiency for Fiesta drivers while complementing Ford’s “fun to drive” experience with more powerful, responsive performance and in-gear acceleration.

The 48-volt mild hybrid technology is introduced alongside sophisticated new driver assistance technologies including Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Speed Sign Recognition, designed to deliver less stressful driving experiences on highways and around town.1

“Adding EcoBoost Hybrid technology to Fiesta’s best-in-class driving dynamics means customers can have even more power and still go further on a tank of fuel,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. “The Fiesta EcoBoost Hybrid will help Ford bring the benefits of electrification to more drivers than ever before.”

Ford is committed to offering an electrified version of every passenger vehicle it brings to market in Europe and will grow its range of electrified vehicles in Europe to 18 on sale before the end of 2021.

Fiesta’s non-hybrid powertrains are also further enhanced with the latest generation 1.0litre EcoBoost petrol engine and a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, for optimised fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions.2 

In addition, Fiesta is now better connected than ever following the introduction of a standard FordPass Connect modem enabling a range of functions to make the ownership experience easier and more rewarding using the FordPass mobile app. 3

The diverse Ford Fiesta range includes the stylish Fiesta Trend and Fiesta Titanium, SUV-inspired Fiesta Active crossover, sporty Fiesta ST-Line and upscale Fiesta Vignale in three- and five-door body styles depending on variant. Ford sold 227,100 Fiestas in Europe in 2019.

EcoBoost Hybrid efficiency

Fiesta drivers can now benefit from Ford’s sophisticated EcoBoost Hybrid technology, first introduced for passenger vehicle customers in the new Ford Puma crossover in late 2019.

Available in 125 PS and 155 PS power outputs, Fiesta EcoBoost Hybrid models feature a belt-driven integrated starter/generator (BISG) in place of the standard alternator, enabling recovery and storage of energy usually lost during braking and coasting to charge a 48-volt lithium-ion air-cooled battery pack.

The BISG also acts as a motor, integrating with the engine and using the stored energy to provide torque assistance during normal driving and acceleration, as well as running the vehicle’s electrical ancillaries.

The intelligent, self-regulating mild-hybrid system continuously monitors how the vehicle is being used to determine when and how intensively to charge the battery for optimal benefit, and when to utilise the stored battery charge using one of two strategies:

• Torque substitution, which deploys the electric motor functionality of the BISG to provide up to 24 Nm of torque – reducing the amount of work required from the petrol engine and contributing to CO2 emissions from 91 g/km NEDC (112 g/km WLTP) and fuel efficiency from 4.0 l/100 km NEDC (from 5.0 l/100 km WLTP). Using torque substitution, the 125 PS EcoBoost Hybrid delivers a fuel efficiency improvement of 5 per cent compared to the traditional petrol 125 PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine (NEDC), and up to 10 per cent in city driving scenarios according to Ford data

• Torque supplementation, which deploys the electric motor functionality of the BISG to increase the peak torque available from the powertrain by up to 20 Nm above the level available from the petrol engine alone – delivering 240 Nm for the 155 PS powertrain and up to 50 per cent more torque at lower rpm 

The BISG also has enabled Ford engineers to lower the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine’s compression ratio and add a larger turbocharger for more power, by mitigating turbo-lag using torque supplementation that also rotates the engine faster for maintained turbocharger boost response.

The more powerful BISG also enables the Fiesta EcoBoost Hybrid’s Auto Start-Stop technology to operate in a wider range of scenarios for even greater fuel savings, including when coasting to a stop below 25 km/h (15 mph) and even when the vehicle is in gear with the clutch pedal depressed. 

Both Fiesta EcoBoost Hybrid and traditional petrol powertrains – available with 95 PS and 125 PS power outputs – now utilise the latest generation of the multi-award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine featuring cylinder deactivation. 

The technology further enhances fuel efficiency by automatically switching off one of the cylinders when full capacity is not needed, such as when coasting or cruising with light demand on the engine and can disengage or re-engage one cylinder in 14 milliseconds with no compromise in performance or refinement.

Fiesta’s 125 PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine can now also be specified with a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that offers seamless gear changes for optimised refinement and fuel efficiency improvements of up to 15 per cent compared to the out-going 100 PS 1.0litre EcoBoost six-speed automatic configuration (NEDC) – despite offering 25 per cent more power. An 85 PS 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine is also offered for high-mileage drivers.

Advanced and connected Fiesta

Technologies introduced to Fiesta for the first time deliver a more refined, relaxing and connected driving experience – help drivers negotiate stop-start and highway traffic with greater confidence than ever before.

Available Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop & Go and Speed Sign Recognition helps the vehicle maintain a comfortable driving distance from vehicles ahead. The system also helps reduce stress during long road trips and can adjust the vehicle speed to within legal limits by monitoring the roadside and overhead gantries for speed signs. 

Stop & Go – available with the seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission – enables the ACC system to bring the vehicle to a complete halt in stop-start traffic and automatically pull away if the stopping duration is less than 3 seconds. For stopping durations greater than 3 seconds, the driver can push a steering wheel button or gently apply the accelerator to pull away.

Standard FordPass Connect modem technology allows customers to remotely control a selection of vehicle features from any location via their smartphone and the FordPass app. In addition to helping drivers plan faster, less stressful journeys with Live Traffic updates for the available navigation system, customers can operate Door Lock/Unlock, Remote Start4 for Fiesta models with seven-speed automatic transmission, Vehicle Locator, and Vehicle Status for checking fuel level, alarm status, tyre pressures, oil life and more.

Fiesta’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system5 is also updated to be more intuitive and easier to use, with a new user interface that features larger buttons displayed on the 8-inch colour touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™ compatibility remain included free-of-charge. A new wireless charging pad also is offered, helping occupants effortlessly charge smartphones on the move.

Further updates for the Fiesta range include:

• Perpendicular Park Assist functionality now added to Active Park Assist for Fiesta Active and ST‑Line variants, helping drivers park hands-free side-by-side with other cars 

• Cross Traffic Alert enhanced with Active Braking, to provide drivers with a warning when reversing of vehicles that may soon be crossing behind them, and now able to apply the brakes to avoid or mitigate the effects of collisions if drivers do not respond to warnings

• New Sport and Trail Selectable Drive Modes added to the existing Normal, Eco and Slippery modes for the Fiesta Active, helping drivers fully exploit Fiesta’s fun to drive character and more easily tackle soft and deformable surfaces

• Fiesta’s available premium B&O Sound System sub-woofer is relocated to the wheel arch to maximise luggage space and make a spare wheel available in combination with the B&O Sound System

“Fiesta is now easier to enjoy than ever. With FordPass Connect you can lock and unlock, find where you parked, check your last trip and make sure you have enough fuel for your next journey all from the palm of your hand, so you’re always ready to go,” de Waard said.

# # #