Ford goes mild-hybrid too. A small lithium-ion battery and Bisg system to support the combustion engine. Brilliant performance and efficient fuel consumption.
There are few certainties in the complex world of automotive. One, however, is an absolute guarantee, and it goes by the name of electrification — which does not mean exclusively electric vehicles, but more simply indicates that part of the drivetrain is assisted by an electrical component (such as a motor and batteries). This is a strategic choice that Ford embraced some time ago, expanding its model range with mild-hybrid technology. And what better representative of this solution than the Ford Focus, one of the flagship models of the great Blue Oval family, which, while remaining true to its own configuration — understood as its trim line — delivers a technological upgrade of considerable impact. The Business, Active and ST Line versions are available on the entry-level variant of the Focus EcoBoost Hybrid, the 125 hp one. Meanwhile, the ST Line X and Active X trims are reserved for the Focus EcoBoost Hybrid with 155 hp.
The solution fitted to the new Ford Focus also features on models such as the Puma and the Fiesta. The technique's main player is the EcoBoost turbocharged petrol unit — a one-litre three-cylinder engine — which, in the mild-hybrid model, is paired with a system called BISG, a starter/generator device that also acts as an alternator and starter motor, while simultaneously functioning as a fully-fledged electrical unit connected to the EcoBoost powertrain via a belt. The system is also connected to a small 48-volt lithium-ion battery pack, positioned beneath the driver's seat. This solution has made it possible to keep the Ford Focus's interior volumes unchanged. The mild-hybrid system developed by the American manufacturer works by having the battery pack store energy under certain driving conditions — such as deceleration phases — and then return that energy via the BISG to the combustion engine. How? By providing additional torque, thus relieving the small EcoBoost of numerous demands. This allows the three-cylinder engine to be both more powerful — the Focus Hybrid edition is available in 125 hp and 155 hp versions — but above all more efficient in terms of fuel consumption and emissions. So much so that the 125 hp version delivers fuel economy in the order of 23.8 km/l, while the top-of-the-range 155 hp model guarantees even lower figures, equal to 24.4 km/l.
The arrival of the new mild-hybrid powertrains in the family set in motion a series of changes in which the multimedia component of the Ford Focus played the leading role. The presence of the FordPass Connect modem, which makes it possible to create a fully-fledged on-board wifi network, also offers another major advantage in the form of the Local Hazard Information service. This is a system that harnesses the full potential of the network to access information that could in some way flag a danger along the route being followed. This type of alert does not specifically relate only to road accidents, but also refers to particular weather conditions or the presence of animals or people on the road. "What makes hazard information different is the fact that it is the cars themselves that are connected, via the Internet of Things. There is no reliance on third-party apps," said Joerg Beyer, executive director, engineering, Ford of Europe. "This is a significant step forward. The alerts are specific, relevant and personalised in order to help improve every single journey." The technology of the Ford Focus EcoBoost Hybrid is then completed by the presence of a 12.3'' LCD instrument cluster which, on this version specifically, features a dedicated screen useful for monitoring the flow of energy to and from the small battery pack.