Originally Posted by
Greg B
It was in the news today in my local paper in the business section. I wish Ford would bag the hybrid truck idea and move on the diesel option, myself. I would hate to have to replace the battery on a Hybrid vehicle at $3000 a pop. GM already tried a hybrid 1/2 ton pick up and the performance and mileage were disappointing and not worth the extra cost. I think it's just a gimmick to please the treehuggers that won't work out very well in the end.
I mostly agree.
A 2011 GMC Sierra Hybrid is rated at 20city/23highway. I am fairly easily getting upwards of 18 city with my 2011 5.0L FX4 F-150. And a solid 21.5mpg highway ''at 70mph'' I know that my trucks only rated at 14city/19highway, but I am impressed that with the right driving habits I can achieve close to the GM hybrids mileage figures, all the while driving a less expensive and much more capable truck.
Honestly though...A small diesel is out of the question to...Even if one of the automakers brings a small diesel to the US the government will ruin it. After its done passing all of their emission tests and mandates they will require it to undergo it'll add 10grand to the MSRP and it'll get crappy fuel mileage because of all the emission control equipment it'll have.
Another problem with diesels in general is this...Most of the public is relatively ignorant towards engines. I've learned that most people today still think of diesels as smoke belching, slow, noisy engines...Put in the general publics eye a gas engine is seen as faster,quiter,cheaper,cleaner...Even if its not entirely true...That's how many people see it. Diesels sell well with the H.D crowd because people who buy Superdutys generally have towed heavy loads before and they know that the pro's of owning a diesel in that instance outweigh the con's. Buyers of trucks the F-150's size and smaller though are generally more ignorant about that kind of thing. So if or if not a diesel engine will sell well with the F-150 crowd is still a question mark.
I was really hoping that if hybrids are going to be the next big thing in the truck world that it would be the hydraulic set up…vs the gas/electric set up.
(See Link for Hydraulic hybrid F-150 here.)
Ford F-150 Used to Develop 40 MPG Hydraulic Hybrid Powertrain - PickupTrucks.com News
My question in all of this is as follows...Are Ford and Toyota planning for their 1/2 ton trucks to be exclusively hybrids? Or are they just going to expand their hybrid lineup and still keep non-hybrids available?