41 MPG Claim For F-150 Hybrid!
Ford doesn’t have a hybrid version of its popular F-Series pick up truck, but that isn’t stopping one Illinois technology company from developing an aftermarket system for it. HVET or Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies, Inc. of 
Chicago claims that they have developed a prototype plug-in hybrid system for the F-150 that will help the truck get 41 mpg. Yep, better than what your little Focus will deliver.
15 Mile Range On Pure Electric
Of course, getting the 41 mpg gets a bit tricky, but according to HVET it can be done. The truck can run a full 15 miles on electric power only and achieve the 41 mpg figure in mixed speed driving (alternating between the electric battery and the engine). Otherwise, the truck can get 21 mpg beyond hybrid driving. An in-dash display unit shows the driver how power is being used at any given time with sophisticated software included to optimize the best distribution of it at any time.
“One way to reduce fossil fuel use is to find ways to plug in some of the hundreds of millions of internal combustion engines already on the world’s roads,” said CalCars founder Felix Kramer. “The pioneering PHEV designs for trucks and buses from Dr. Ali Emadi and his team at HEVT are especially promising.”
Reduce Pollution Too
Additionally, the HVET conversion reportedly will save 4500 lbs. of carbon dioxide yearly and provide improved low speed torque which is better for towing.
“HEVT’s solutions apply to not just smaller passenger cars and hybrids, but almost any vehicle including larger gas guzzlers,” said HEVT founder Ali Emadi. “Our laboratory simulations show that the larger the vehicle, the greater the benefits – in gas costs, particulate and greenhouse emissions, and sound pollution. For this reason we are currently focused on PSVs and will later expand to school buses as well as transit buses.”
A Test Fleet First, Then Marketing
The company plans to initiate a small pilot program of Ford F-150 pickup truck conversions available to organizations and individuals on a customized basis. This pilot program will help HEVT with continued development and optimization, in a bid to push conversion costs down and lower the lifetime cost of ownership for converted vehicles.
Now before you start thinking about having HVET convert your Ford truck, you’ll want to pause first: the company is charging $60,000 per truck conversion, a figure which amounts to 2-3 times the sticker price of most trucks. Prices are expected to drop when volume increases, but not before then.
(Source: HVET.com)
Comments
4 Comments on 41 MPG Claim For F-150 Hybrid!
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Wed, 30th Jul 2008 11:17 am
This could be the breakthrough for Ford. The biggest problem with the full size truck market is their fuel economy.. Ford is addressing the problem with a hybrid. I certainly wouldn’t mind owning an F150 and get 41 mpg.
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