It is the result of car manufacturers attempting to provide more efficient vehicles that emit fewer emissions,[1] often mandated by legislative standards.
[2] The term generally relates to traditional internal combustion engines powered by petrol or diesel.
[3] Some observers have not been convinced by manufacturer's claims that reducing engine size provides a more efficient car.
[5] The University of Bath published research carried out by its Powertrain and Vehicle Research Centre which demonstrated that it is possible to reduce engine capacity by 60% and still achieve the torque curve of a modern, large-capacity naturally-aspirated engine, while encompassing the attributes necessary to employ such a concept in premium vehicles.
[6] In an Auto Bild investigation of a 1.0 EcoBoost Ford Focus having driven 100,000 kilometres (62,000 mi), no major issues were found surrounding the engine, with only 'minimal oil sweating between cylinder and block' being noticed.