2005 Mercury Meta One Concept

"Meta One is a valuable test-bed for advanced technologies allowing us to demonstrate future safety and powertrain

The Meta One is the world's first use of a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) diesel-hybrid powertrain. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

technologies that exist only in theory and in laboratories today," commented Gerhard Schmidt, Ford Motor Company vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering.

What's a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) diesel powertrain? It's a turbocharged diesel that makes a stump-pulling 431 lb-ft of torque yet still manages to be 97 percent cleaner than the Tier 1 emissions standard for NOx.

Ironically, it took a brand that doesn't even make a production diesel powerplant to show that diesels can potentially meet the strictest emissions standards when combined with a hybrid drivetrain and stringent after-treatment systems.

"As the world's first PZEV capable diesel, the Mercury Meta One concept shows

"The Mercury Meta One concept shows that advanced technologies that we're developing promise the potential to deliver diesels that can be as clean as the cleanest gasoline engines," said Gerhard Schmidt, Ford Motor Company VP. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

that advanced technologies that we're developing promise the potential to deliver diesels that can be as clean as the cleanest gasoline engines," added Schmidt. "The torque of this engine, when combined with the modular hybrid-electric transmission, also provides excellent driving performance."

Considering that its 431 lb-ft of torque comes via a V6, and not a V10, is testament to the benefit of hybrid propulsion. The V6 is twin-turbocharged too, which allows for a smaller displacement resulting in lower fuel economy when the engine is under light loads.