Jalopnik Snap Judgment: With diesel operating costs living in a world of pain these days and the price of entry for a diesel mill much higher to begin with, ethanol DI engines present an interesting alternative. Even though diesel is a perennial favorite with people who need to drag stuff around, it's quickly becoming a problem of economics. With the $700 premium for EcoBoost, and the projected cost for this system adding another $400, an $1100 gasoline option which is cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, and cleaner to operate may be a big draw — even if filling up the ethanol tank every couple months might get annoying. Test engines are set to run this year, but no word on a green light for production yet. [Pickuptrucks.com]

The guys at PickupTrucks.com give you a full technical explanation, but in a nutshell, the ethanol boost works on-demand to cool the cylinders and bump octane up as high as 150 when needed. The result is a detonation-free engine even with ordinarily insane parameters like 13:1 compression plus 30 psi of boost. And, since the ethanol is only injected when needed, you won't be filling two tanks every 400 miles or disrupting the price of tortillas in Oaxaca with your newfound corn-juice thirst. Here's a handy diagram to explain it:

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: This is a great example of a company applying a series of proven, existing technologies in a new way, resulting in a potential significant leap forward for the IC engine. We applaud EBS for thinking creatively. Now make it work well, do it fast, and put a four-cylinder version with about 350 lb-ft in our new-to-the-states 2010 Euro Ford Focus. [PickupTrucks.com]