The current political push for e-mobility marked a major decline in the R&D interest to internal combustion engine (ICE). Following this global trend, Ford is committed to going 100% electric by 2030 for passenger cars and 2035 for light commercial vehicles. At the same time, many researchers admit that, due to many objective factors, vehicles powered by ICE will remain in operation for decades to come. Development of alternative carbon-neutral fuels can bring a renaissance in the ICE development as practical limitations of electric-only approach get exposed.
Since a significant part of energy losses in the ICE comes from friction, engine tribology has been an important research topic over the past two decades and a significant progress in improving the engine efficiency was achieved. On the global scale, the improved efficiency of new engines built over the past decade is contributing to curbing the greenhouse gas emissions far more than all electrical vehicles in use, though the situation will likely change in future as the percent of electric vehicles increases and the energy mix is decarbonized. Moreover, many lessons learnt in ICE tribology optimization projects lay a useful knowledge foundation for electrical powertrain optimization. One key lesson is that a complete system approach is a must as the powertrain hardware and lubricant have to flawlessly work together.
In the present study, we demonstrate how the tribological optimization of Ford engines contributed to improved fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions by comparing a previous generation Ford EcoBoost and the new Ford Dragon engines with different motor oils. We also review the theoretical limits of efficiency boost possible with ultralow viscosity motor oils, looking ahead to the future ILSAC GF-7 motor oil specifications.