Ford Debuts New Transmission System for Big-boy Hybrids

As per its $11 billion investment in electrification, Ford intends to have 40 electrified vehicles — 16 of which will be battery-only — on sale by 2022. That includes the widespread hybridization of trucks, crossovers, and SUVs. As towing has not historically been a great strength of hybrids, the automaker is developing a new transmission system it calls “modular hybrid technology.”

The system, which debuts on the 2020 Explorer, is said to incorporate an electric motor, clutch and torque converter to help vehicles deliver superior fuel economy without sabotaging a vehicle’s ability to haul ass or whatever customers choose to hitch up behind the tailgate.

According to Automotive News, the new modular unit was designed to fit with existing rear-wheel-drive vehicles that contain Ford’s 10-speed transmission. It boasts 90 percent parts commonality with the existing tranny, though it incorporates an electric motor for additional torque at lower speeds.

From Automotive News:

On the upcoming Explorer hybrid, for example, the electric motor will put out 44 hp. When coupled with the vehicle’s 3.3-liter V-6 engine, it will generate 318 hp and 322 pound-feet of torque. It will also be able to tow up to 5,000 pounds and have a 500-mile range.

The fourth-generation lithium ion battery that powers the hybrids is roughly 33 percent smaller than the first generation that debuted on Ford’s 2005 Escape hybrid, and is packaged underneath the Explorer’s second-row seats to prevent it from taking up cargo space.

Meanwhile, Ford’s smaller hybrid vehicles will be dependent on an electronic continuously variable transmission. While decidedly less suited for towing duties than the modular system, Ford says it allows for electric-only propulsion up to 85 mph.

“Hybrids are more than just fuel efficiency,” said Dave Filipe, Ford’s vice president of powertrain engineering. “Whatever solutions we provide have to be no-compromise, especially as we get into the larger vehicles. We need to create something different to get the right answer for this customer segment.”

Finding balance will be key, and Ford thinks it can pull this off by offering a diverse powertrain lineup. While hybrids have become much better at towing over the years, customers still complain that their superior fuel economy becomes laughable once a trailer enters the equation. In fairness, no vehicle can expect the same mpg once asked to pull twice its own weight — not that most hybrids can manage that, anyway.

One of the biggest issues involves the kinetic energy that accompanies pulling a heavier load. Batteries and brakes can become overwhelmed when the downhill jaunt the car wanted to use to recoup energy suddenly involves twice the mass it was rated to handle. Ford’s modular system is supposed to mitigate this by being more dependent on the internal combustion engine at higher speeds, leaving the electric grunt to help on slower, uphill portions of the trip. While trailer fanatics with a penchant for really big loads will probably want to steer clear of hybrids for a few more years, Ford’s doing what it can to close the gap in the interim.

“It’s a much more affordable alternative to all-electric vehicles,” Filipe said. “Our competitors don’t have a story in this space. We’re going to be aggressively chasing hybrids and making it work for customers.”

[Image: Ford Motor Co.]