Ford expands production of EcoBoost engine in US

CHICAGO -- Ford Motor Co will add 450 jobs at a northeast Ohio plant to increase the production of its 2-liter EcoBoost engine, Detroit News reported Thursday.

With a $200 million investment, the plant will produce 2-liter engines for vehicles like the Fusion midsize sedan and Escape SUV. The engine is currently built only in Valencia, Spain.

Ford introduced the EcoBoost series, a combination of turbocharging, direct-injection and twin independent variable-camshaft timing, in 2009, and is now in need of additional engines for high-volume vehicles such as the Fusion and F-150, though the engine demands a premium of about $1,000 due to its better performance and fuel efficiency.

The 2-liter engine may eventually rival the automaker's 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 as the most popular engine sold in the US.

Ford's plans for Europe may create even more demand for the 2-liter EcoBoost. Ford plans to triple in Europe production of vehicles equipped with EcoBoost engines by 2015 to approximately 480,000. Production in Ohio would enable Ford to better adjust for EcoBoost demand in the two regions.