Non-electric Ford F-150 hydraulic hybrid could get 40 mpg more info @ Ford F-150 Used to Develop 40 MPG Hydraulic Hybrid Powertrain - PickupTrucks.com News Chrysler, EPA Partnership Hint at Hybrid Minivan - KickingTires
To hit 40 mpg, they will still have to improve the thermal efficiency of the engine, improve aerodynamics, decrease weight, use LRR tires, and use something like a manumatic transmission. Everything else will be belt driven still ... probably wishful thinking.
Very cool if they pull it off. They are talking city mileage, so aerodynamics don't matter that much, it will be difficult to get similar milage on the highway. Ford is actively working on increasing the thermal efficiency of its engines, and I'm sure the figure includes a new ecoboost design. They also have produced very efficient transmissions. This is a matter of ford trying multiple paths. They are also working with toyota on creating hybrid gasoline electric trucks.
Right. In the city weight is more important. But I am not convinced that reducing the weight of a truck is an easier chore than increasing its aerodynamics.
The big advantage in the city of a hybrid truck is reusing the energy of slowing down. 40 city mpg is definitely possible, even if the truck remains heavy. An F150 has about double the CdA of a prius. If its going to retain its full size truckness, I just can see it getting its aerodynamics down enough to 40mpg. I'm sure they can get Cd down, but an F150 will keep a big frontal area and a truck bed.
The base V6 in the 2wd F150 is rated 17mpg city. With an ecoboost 2.0 that may rise to 20. Auto start/stop might give another 1mpg increase. The concept is using a CVT which should improve fuel economy some, and Ford is already using aggressive DFCO in their newer models. The hydraulic system probably gives near the same improvement city as an electric hybrid, and they might even downsize the engine some more. Stay with a regular cab and lighten it some. 40mpg may be possible. I don't think we'll see that in a production model, at least one that sells in numbers. I think cost will keep an ecoboost hydra. combo off the table, and most buyers likely will balk at an engine smaller than the 2L. Plus they'll likely opt. for extended or crew cabs with 4wd.
auto-start/stop should add more than 1 mpg I would think. Need to ask the folks over at cleanmpg.com, since they'll do this with normal vehicles (forced-auto-stop they call it, or FAS). If they also stop the engine when using the energy stored in the hydraulics or coasting, that would be significant. In any case, 40 mpg would be a tough goal to meet.
They better make some miracle seal to seal all the hydraulic components. I've never seen a hopper with a clean trunk. All of them have hydraulic fluid everywhere. Never seen a backhoe with clean hydraulic cylinders either. I did see a couple of clean automaker's assembly robot arms at the LA auto show but not sure if they're electrics or hydraulics. Besides, it's for show so I doubt they'd show off a pair of greasy robot arms.
Might be possible, and even 30's would be impressive Friend at work recently got a 2WD Ford F-150 with the turbocharged V6. It gets really amazing fuel economy, for a truck
Just about anything will be better than the low-teens I see in the city in a Ford F-150 V8 I borrow on occasion... It maxes out at 20 mpg with careful highway driving.
It can be quite effective, I use it, but the new Kia coming out with it only saw a 1mpg improvement in the EPA test. So I went with that.
I think its very possible. They just need a turbo diesel, prius tech and a bigger battery. It will also sell in huge numbers. F150 is best selling vehicle in usa. It seems like a perfect platform for a hybrid. However a light duty f150 is a bad idea. Hybrid needs to hold up to all the abuse these trucks endure everyday. I belive a diesel hybrid with agressive ev mode will give its use best of both worlds.
Unless the thing is all carbon fiber, I find this highly unlikely. The ct200h struggles to get 40mpg and it has the most efficient engine on the planet.
Weight may not be as critical. Hydraulic recovery system is much more efficient then HEV used in Prius, and allows much higher recovery rates as there is no battery to restrict flow. In UPS pilot delivery trucks were getting 60% MPG improvement. As above.. basically with HEV you have following conversion: mechanical -> electric -> chemical -> electric -> mechanical With hydraulic you have: mechanical -> hydraulic -> mechanical for batteries 80% recovery rate is very high, and for hydraulic 80% is very low.
Considering they have been working on this idea since at least 2002 they should be getting ready to do something with it.
On a city cycle, most HEVs get 60%+ MPG improvement, so a hydraulic system doesn't seem that much different to me. Ford said that they are able to capture nearly 94% braking energy in city driving with the 2010 Fusion Hybrid... How much of that 94% they are able to get back to the wheels is another question, but without citation I highly doubt that 80% round-trip for hydraulic systems is low... Compressing things for storage always generates heat... There's been news floating around about Ford's magical 40 mpg city F-150 for years now (some searching turned up hits from 2006). There must be some reason why it's still basically vaporware... 60%+ MPG improvement on a delivery truck should make it a no-brainer for businesses if the cost is lower than a HEV and performs better...
