Ford Trucks & Hybrid Technology
To meet increasing global demand for hybrid technology, the Ford Motor Co. has been introducing hybrid technology in some of its vehicles. Although Ford does not have a hybrid truck in production as of November 2010, the company is driving to incorporate more "green" features into new models.
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Definition
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The premise behind a hybrid vehicle is to combine the engine, which runs on gasoline, with a motor, which runs on electricity. This concept is not unique to the Ford but is integral to the company's future plans.
Regenerative Braking System
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In a traditional vehicle, energy is lost when you use the brakes. Ford uses a technology called the Regenerative Braking System, wherein energy is actually captured during the process of braking and recycled for use later on.
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Gas vs. Electricity
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Ford trucks and cars that are hybrid models will generally rely on electricity at lower speeds, and then switch over to gasoline at higher speeds. This is done automatically by the car using internal sensors. The driver simply has to keep driving and allow the truck to switch from one energy source to another.
Charge Electricity
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Some hybrid models require the car to be plugged in when not in use, like any other electronic device that needs to be charged regularly. The Ford hybrid technology uses the gasoline energy to charge the battery in addition to energy accumulated during braking.
Availability
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While Ford does not currently have a truck available that is a hybrid, the company is going ahead with plans to construct one. The closest vehicle to a truck that Ford has is the Escape Hybrid, a sport-utility vehicle that can fit up to five adults. It has a towing capacity of 1,500 lbs. with the 2.5-liter engine, and 3,500 lbs. with the 3.0-liter engine. Until then, Ford has three trucks (the Super Duty, Transit Connect and Ranger) that are more fuel-efficient than their competitors. Fuel efficiency is one of the primary reasons behind the development of hybrid cars.
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References
- Photo Credit american vintage truck image by Pierrette Guertin from Fotolia.com
