DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co. has filed scores of patents in an effort to protect its EcoBoost engines from copycats, documents indicate.
The engines, which were first used in mainstream vehicles by German carmakers, combine turbo-charging with direct fuel-injection to coax up to 20 percent better fuel economy than traditional engines generating the same horsepower, The Detroit News reported Sunday.
With competitors eagerly seeking way to boost fuel economy, the newspaper said Ford has filed 125 patents around technology developed for its first EcoBoost engine, which debuted on the Lincoln MKS this year.
Documents indicate that some of the patents have already have been granted, the newspaper said.
Brett Hinds, advanced engine design and development manager at Ford, told the News: "The secret to Ford's EcoBoost system isn't just the hardware -- the key is in the Ford control system. Our engineers have the right recipes to integrate various systems like engine, transmission and fuel management, resulting in a seamless, exhilarating driving experience."
