Ford Working On 60 MPG Truck

All Headline News ^ | 14 Feb 2006 | Matthew Borghese

[Ben Mugged]

Ford is reportedly developing a "new form of automotive propulsion," which could dramatically change the automotive landscape.

Ford is said to be developing a "Hydraulic Hybrid" for implementation in it's F-150 series truck.

According to NewTechSpy, "the hydraulic hybrid could be the greatest innovation since the internal combustion engine itself."

The new engine differs from the conventional hybrid design. Currently a "hybrid" engine's main energy comes from gasoline which recharges batteries that move the car at low speeds.

In hydraulic systems, excess energy is stored in hydraulic cylinders, which have 3 times the capacity of a nickel metal hydride battery.

Ford is set to launch the hydraulic hybrid F-150 in August, 2008.

[Ben Mugged]

This is not new technology. Industry has been working on hydraulic hybrid drives for several years. What is exciting is that Ford has one being developed for commercial use. Other sources report The standard F-150 has a curb weight of about 4800 lbs., which is 65% greater than theToyota Prius, yet incredibly the Hydraulic F-150 with a continuously variable transmission matches the Prius with 60mpg city rating, that’s an amazing 400% increase over its gasoline version. The F-150 makes for a perfect host for Hydraulic Hybrid technology because of its height and body on frame construction, adding this system to smaller vehicles will be challenging, but with those kind of numbers small vehicles as we know them may become obsolete...The Hydraulic F-150 is currently scheduled for launch in August of 2008.

[SmoothTalker]

If true, this could be the technology that saves the American auto industry. I really hope it is true.

[2banana]

F stock still near a 52 week low...but pays a nice dividend (getting paid well to wait and see)

[theDentist]

Finally someone in that ******* company wakes up.

[D-Chivas]

Vaporware...

[The South Texan]

"If true, this could be the technology that saves the American auto industry. I really hope it is true."

They better get on it because Toyota will if they don't.

[Rennes Templar]

Bout time propulsion technology starts catching up with the electronic technology in vehicles.

[Horatio Gates]

But can I tow my toys with the truck?

[American_Centurion]

I have always loved Ford trucks.

I haven't owned one for 10 years, but I have wanted one.

I will buy this truck, the timing is perfect for replacing my current truck.

[Ben Mugged]

Vaporware...

Don't think so. Visit this link. http://www.iags.org/n033104t3.htm

[JoeSixPack1]

Here it is

[Pondman88]

An F-150 which gets 60 mpg, that would be awesome!!! It would also really piss off the enviro retards.

[JoeSixPack1]

http://www.greencar.com/index.cfm?content=features23

[wallcrawlr]

horsepower, torque and weight ratings please

[ghost of nixon]

Technology is our friend - big government do-gooders are the enemy.

[Daus]

This type of technology in an Explorer would be killer. If Ford could get back to the margins they used to have on the Explorer, look out.

Talk about driving the Greenies nuts. They would have to finally admit that they were just envious of people affording SUV's and that it had nothing to do with environmental concerns. :)

[babyface00]

Once upon a time a majored in Mechanical Engineering. Ended up with a degree in something else, but that's another story.

I had a professor who told us about a vehicle efficiency competition in which the winner was a vehicle using a hydraulic motor as the engine.

It wasn't very fast, but it converted the most energy to useful work.

Details are a little sketchy on this Ford Hybrid. Storing "hydraulic energy" seems to imply that they would use a hydraulic motor to tap into that energy - perhaps a combination pump/motor. Curious what sort of pressures would be required to store significant energy. Liquid's aren't all that compressible either (or hydraulic brakes wouldn't work all that well), perhaps they use a gas cylinder with a membrane.

[Pontiac]

If true, this could be the technology that saves the American auto industry. I really hope it is true.

How do you figure?

This kind of advancement would give ford at best a five year margin on the competition.

Unless they have something else in the pipeline in five years they will be right back where they are today.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

".....a continuously variable transmission...."

THERE is the only free mileage increase for ANY type of combustion engine.....all this nonsense about fuels other than gasoline is extremely expensive and/or inefficient.

[The_Victor]

In hydraulic systems, excess energy is stored in hydraulic cylinders, which have 3 times the capacity of a nickel metal hydride battery.

At what operating pressure? If they're talking about a >2000 psi system, you're getting into a serious safety hazard.