One thing that has not been mentioned on the resale value is that Ford is not offering any incentives on the EB --- probably for the first year or two. Once they start doing that --- perhaps three years down the road, you will have paid $5,000 or more for your truck than they are now selling them for. THAT is going to affect your resale value more than the turbos.

 

Turbochargers are a mixed bag when it comes to reliability. They were a constant headache on piston aircraft engines through the '70s and '80s. Not unusual for a couple of replacements on a turbocharged Lycoming before the engine itself reached its first overhaul. These were, of course, gas engines that were putting out substantial power for long periods.

They do better on diesels. Over the road trucks and farm tractors have used them for years; though they do require a little extra operating care. They seem to hang in pretty well if you let them cool a bit before shutdown.

Turbochargers on automobile gas engines have done pretty well of late, but the power demands are normally intermittant and short. Normally an automobile engine delivers but a fraction of the power that's on tap.

In a pickup truck that's towing, it'll be a different story. Probably a lot more like an aircraft engine. Hopefully the technology has improved enough to let them last as long as the engine.

Still, for someone who can't afford diesel but who tows at altitudes around 5000 ft. or more, the eco-boost may be a godsend. The turbochargers should theoretically make up for the loss of air density and allow the engine to deliver rated power.

For me, there were too many unknowns. Cutting edge technology too often draws blood.
Bob

 

5I think we will see rebates in just a few months. I just picked up a new 6.7 powerstroke and when they first came out there were no rebates either, when I picked mine up I got a total of $9500 off. Once all the 2010s are gone and the dealer inventorys of EB trucks go up they will add them to the rebate list. Id say by May

 

This is not the first year for EB, granted they are in cars, but they do have some life cycles on them.

 

Cars and trucks pulling more weight and trailers is comparing apples and oranges I think. the Turbos are going to be used more in a truck than a car i would think. not trying to start an argument just saying...

 

How are they going to be used more? When the motor is running the turbos are being used so unless people with cars shut them off at every stop sign and red light that wont happen. If you have a Eb car with 70,000 miles on it and a eb truck with 70,000 miles on it they turbos have the same amount of use on it.

 

I've seen several people make that implication in regards to the truck version of the EB. I think their idea is that the sports car turbo (sized for acceleration) the turbo is really only spooled up to a stressful RPM when the car is accelerating quickly and the engine RPMS are up, and on the Truck turbo (sized for torque/towing) it will be working at full load during the enitre tow.

In reality, however, it'll work the same way as the turbo in the sports car. Just as our "Tow Mode" doesn't keep the transmission from reaching the OD gears, once the truck and tralier are up to speed, it's going to hit 6th and the engine RPMs will drop - as will the trubo's

 

Especially with smaller turbo's, engine RPM has very little to do with the RPM of the turbo.

Turbo's spool when their is enough exhaust gas and the waste gate is at least partially closed. Look at the dyno charts - they make full boost at ~2000rpm.

Whenever you're into the throttle you'll be into boost - so if your towing requires you to give it gas at highway speed, it's going to be boosting at highway speed.

That said, I don't think it matters how often you're in boost as much as the heat cycling. Lets see a 2000 heat cycle torture test.

 

Actually, turbos are spooled up by exhaust back pressure. The published torque curves on the EB are at full throttle, where the exhaust gases are at full speed. When you are cruising at 2,000 rpm, there is no way that the turboes are going to be spooled up to the same RPM as full throttle. It will still take a moment for them to spool up to speed on the highway when passing someone.
Saying that the turbos are spooled up the same way at partial throttle or full throttle would be like saying that you get the same MPG for both....

 

You do not have boost all of the time.The electric waste gate opens or closes to make boost as needed. The turbos will spin faster as the engine turns faster but the waste gate controls boost.

Turbos are designed for work. Farm equipment has had them for years. Imagine a farmer plowing or harvesting 15 hours a day. So a few hours of towing ain't gonna hurt it at all. Also think of an over the road trucker, they drive for hours a day.