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At 30,000 feet with 40 below ambient temperatures turbocharging and supercharging were essential when you consider atmospheric pressure is 50% of sea level pressure at 18k feet. Even in cars when the elevation gets above 6k feet the power loss is significant.
Ford apparently does not agree with the assumption that there is no place for supercharging in an economy car.
Counterpoint:
The most efficient diesel engines at just over 50% do not use supercharging. Instead they utilize a 3 to 1 stroke to bore ratio, with a 3 foot bore and a 9 foot stroke, running at about 100 RPM to minimize the losses due to reciprocation of their massive pistons and rods. The sctoch yoke between the piston and rod eliminates side loads on the piston.
Personally I like the idea of electric supercharging especially when it is designed to allow air flow to not have to pass through the supercharger. The energy to run the supercharger can be supplied by regenerative braking.
Combined with start stop and DFCO in an engine of about 50% of the normal displacement and you can get better mileage, just like the Edison car in the X prize.
regards
Mech
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