Hydraulic Hybrid Ford F-150? Heard stranger things…
My Clean Break column today touches on rumours that Ford is planning to come out with a hybrid-hydraulic version of its popular F-150 pickup truck in 2008. The speculation, which first surfaced on NewTechSpy.com, claims the truck will have the same mileage as a Toyota Prius. While I have my doubts about the specifics of that claim, I do know that Ford and others are working closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on hydraulic technology as a rival approach to battery-powered hybrid-electric cars. My column takes a look at some of the work being done, and gets an update from the head of the EPA’s transportation lab in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Bottom line: Cool hybrid-hydraulic designs are indeed on the way but I wouldn’t count on Ford to be first out of the gate. Also, the technology is aimed at bigger vehicles, so I wouldn’t bet that we’re ever going to see a hybrid-hydraulic Ford Escort. Delivery vehicles, garbage trucks, and other fleet-type workhorses are the more likely candidates.
Tyler Hamilton is senior energy reporter and columnist for the Toronto Star, Canada's largest daily newspaper. In addition to this Clean Break blog, Tyler writes a weekly column of the same name that discusses trends, happenings and innovators in the cleantech market. This blog is a personal project started in April 2005. It is not an official blog of the newspaper. Tyler can be reached at tyler@cleanbreak.ca
February 20th, 2006 at 11:12 am
Same as a Prius … that strikes me as difficult given the contributions of aerodynamics and low-rolling-resisitence tires to the Prius MPG.
How aero and how low-rolling-resisitence can a truck be?
June 28th, 2006 at 9:41 am
The regerative portion is just support for the cvt. The CVT (www.hydristor.com)based on variable chamber volume vane pumps is where the efficiency (cvt tested at 94% efficent)gains are.
Imagine going 65 in relatively flat area with that 4800 lb truck and the engine is running at idle. You still have to accelerate and deaccelerate the mass (conservation of momentum) This is where the regenerative hydraulics come in with the hydristor pumping up nitrogen charged accumulators while slowing down. Then they are discharged to help get the vehicle up to speed without using excess engine power. Next I would like to see a Scuderi split cycle 8 cylinder engine (15% gain in efficiency) added to that F150 (http://www.scuderigroup.com) . Finally use Dana Corps ATMOPLAS pulsed microwave plasma instead of spark plug for ignition. (http://dana.mediaroom.com/index.php/press_releases/2008) For a cleaner more energetic combustion and with ethanol a partial conversion to hydrogen.
About a 2-3% gain in efficiency, the bigger payoff will be the ability to use a less energy dense fuel (ethanol) and still get increased mileage over gas with better emissions.
I can’t wait to get my 80 mpg heavy iron