Photo: Ford
On the sidelines of the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, Raj Nair had a chat with the media. And according to Ford's chief technical officer, the F-150 Hybrid will not be gifted with an EV drive mode.
Whereas the Lexus LS 500h has an “EV Mode” button, the F-150 Hybrid will not have such a thing. When the Ford CTO was asked if the truck will be able to drive on its own on electricity alone, Nair said no. Here’s the transcript:
Emme Hall of CNET Roadshow: “Will that truck [F-150 Hybrid] be able to drive on its own on electric power alone?”
Raj Nair: “No, it’s a regular hybrid as well,” he said, referring to the 2020 Ford Mustang Hybrid. “So it’s mated to a gas engine; but again, it’s all about what are customers are looking for. In a truck, they’re looking for capability. So we’re talking about a hybrid that can tow, and also serve as a mobile generator on a work site.”
The 110-volt generator sure sounds like a winner. As for the lack of an EV mode, well, what did you expect? Propelling a vehicle as heavy as a full-size workhorse on electricity alone equals little pure-electric range. Another reason why EV mode is not doable for the F-150 Hybrid is that the electric motors would be heavily overworked, which is a big no-no for reliability.
Can you think of a high-performance hybrid that can’t run in pure-electric mode, even if owners are asking for such a feature? Yes, it’s the LaFerrari, the Prancing Horse’s answer to two other hybrid hypercars of the same caliber: the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder. In contrast to the Fezza, the Macca and Porker allow the driver to use the car as an EV, albeit for short distances.
On a tangent, General Motors introduced the eAssist mild-hybrid system for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Essentially a 24-cell 0.45 kWh lithium-ion battery connected to a 13 HP electric motor, the Silverado and Sierra with eAssist are rated 18 mpg city. That’s 2 mpg better over the equivalent model with the 5.3-liter V8 and 8-speed automatic tranny.
Emme Hall of CNET Roadshow: “Will that truck [F-150 Hybrid] be able to drive on its own on electric power alone?”
Raj Nair: “No, it’s a regular hybrid as well,” he said, referring to the 2020 Ford Mustang Hybrid. “So it’s mated to a gas engine; but again, it’s all about what are customers are looking for. In a truck, they’re looking for capability. So we’re talking about a hybrid that can tow, and also serve as a mobile generator on a work site.”
The 110-volt generator sure sounds like a winner. As for the lack of an EV mode, well, what did you expect? Propelling a vehicle as heavy as a full-size workhorse on electricity alone equals little pure-electric range. Another reason why EV mode is not doable for the F-150 Hybrid is that the electric motors would be heavily overworked, which is a big no-no for reliability.
Can you think of a high-performance hybrid that can’t run in pure-electric mode, even if owners are asking for such a feature? Yes, it’s the LaFerrari, the Prancing Horse’s answer to two other hybrid hypercars of the same caliber: the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder. In contrast to the Fezza, the Macca and Porker allow the driver to use the car as an EV, albeit for short distances.
On a tangent, General Motors introduced the eAssist mild-hybrid system for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Essentially a 24-cell 0.45 kWh lithium-ion battery connected to a 13 HP electric motor, the Silverado and Sierra with eAssist are rated 18 mpg city. That’s 2 mpg better over the equivalent model with the 5.3-liter V8 and 8-speed automatic tranny.
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