Ford Motor Company announced a new 1.5L EcoBoost engine will join its lineup of fuel-efficient powertrains. The 1.5L engine is a key strategic entry for Ford, as the company works to meet strong global demand for its four-cylinder EcoBoost engines.

With the launch of this newest fuel-efficient engine, Ford now has capacity to build 1.6 million EcoBoost engines annually. By the end of 2013, six plants across Europe, Asia, and North America will be producing EcoBoost engines, triple the number that were doing so in 2010, according to the automaker.

Production of the four-cylinder 1.5L EcoBoost – the fifth member of the EcoBoost family – will commence initially at Ford’s world-class facility in Craiova, Romania, later this month. Other manufacturing locations will be announced in the future. The new engine will be first introduced in China in the all-new Ford Mondeo, making its public debut later this month at Auto Shanghai 2013, with applications following in the Fusion sedan in North America this year, and later the new Mondeo in Europe.

As a key contributor to Ford’s aggressive fuel economy and emissions strategy, EcoBoost technologies enable improvements to both fuel efficiency of 20 percent and emissions of up to 15 percent. The 1.5L engine benefits from signature EcoBoost turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable valve timing, and has been designed to be even more fuel efficient and offer high levels of refinement, quietness, and performance.

Additionally, the newest EcoBoost engine will be a strategic entry for Ford in global markets that offer tax relief to consumers who purchase vehicles powered by engines of 1.5L capacity or less.

The new aluminum-block, twin-cam 1.5L EcoBoost engine will include some features introduced on the 1.0L EcoBoost, such as an integrated exhaust manifold. The new engine is expected to provide similar horsepower and torque performance to Ford’s current 1.6L EcoBoost, while delivering improved fuel economy and lower CO₂ emissions.

The 1.5L EcoBoost is the first engine from Ford to incorporate a computer-controlled clutch on the belt-drive water pump, which further improves efficiencies by reducing warm-up time. A water-cooled charge air cooler is added to offer a more efficient feed of air into the engine.

“Ford EcoBoost technology has changed the way people look at gas engines and has enjoyed huge success with customers,” said Joe Bakaj, vice president, powertrain engineering for Ford. “The new 1.5L unit further extends our EcoBoost promise of economical driving in terms of both fuel efficiency and – in some markets – tax savings.”

Ford has sold more than 600,000 EcoBoost-equipped vehicles globally since the range was launched with the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost in 2009. Ford added the 2.0L EcoBoost in 2010, the 1.6L EcoBoost followed in 2011, and last year the 1.0L EcoBoost was launched, winning the 2012 “International Engine of the Year” award.

By the end of 2013, Ford said nearly 80 percent of the company’s global nameplates will be available with EcoBoost technology.