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What about a hybrid Edge


Byrdman

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I would say it would be considered for the next redesign. I doubt the current platform could be easily adapted for it. We do have the 2.0 EcoBoost Edge to look forward to soon though in the meantime.

 

I think it's more a case of the 2.5L hybrid drivetrain not being adequate for the heavier Edge. Perhaps a hybrid 2.0L Ecoboost?

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Could be. I do think Ford should come up with a heavier duty hybrid powertrain for vehicles like the Taurus, Explorer, Flex, etc.

 

Except the market for larger, heavier hybrids is questionable which makes the business case questionable especially when there are other projects where that money might be better spent like electric vehicles and smaller plug-in hybrids.

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Except the market for larger, heavier hybrids is questionable which makes the business case questionable especially when there are other projects where that money might be better spent like electric vehicles and smaller plug-in hybrids.

 

It's only questionable in my opinion because nobody has done it well yet. Pretty much all of the larger hybrids to hit the market so far are either "mild hybrids" or just not very good ones.

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It's only questionable in my opinion because nobody has done it well yet. Pretty much all of the larger hybrids to hit the market so far are either "mild hybrids" or just not very good ones.

Interesting, I didn't know there were issues with the larger hybrids.. My wife drive the Edge now and loves it. She spends a lot of time in traffic and wishes it was a hybrid. I guess i should have looked at the escape it just seemed to be to small.

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Interesting, I didn't know there were issues with the larger hybrids.. My wife drive the Edge now and loves it. She spends a lot of time in traffic and wishes it was a hybrid. I guess i should have looked at the escape it just seemed to be to small.

 

Well, I don't think the issue is really because of the size. It just comes down to none of them being executed very well by their respective manufacturers. Sounds like an opening for Ford to me. An Edge that could manage 30+ mpg city could make quite the splash.

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Well, I don't think the issue is really because of the size. It just comes down to none of them being executed very well by their respective manufacturers. Sounds like an opening for Ford to me. An Edge that could manage 30+ mpg city could make quite the splash.

 

That may be true but it's not just because of poor execution. V6 and V8 hybrids to date have been focused on performance not fuel economy (like the Accord hybrid).

 

People who want hybrids want max mpg and you just don't get that with bigger heavier vehicles. 41 mpg from a Fusion hybrid is great but look at GMs hybrid trucks - 21 mpg city for a truck is great by comparison but are many people willing to pay that much extra just to get a 4 mpg gain in city mileage?

 

Volume hybrid buyers seem to be looking for max mpg like the Prius as opposed to some incremental gain in larger vehicles.

 

You also start to lose a lot of efficiency and range when you increase the weight of the vehicle.

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Well, I don't think the issue is really because of the size. It just comes down to none of them being executed very well by their respective manufacturers. Sounds like an opening for Ford to me. An Edge that could manage 30+ mpg city could make quite the splash.

 

The issue is that people who buy a SUV hybrid don't want to pay a lot of extra money for a really slow vehicle. The Escape, Highlander, RX, and Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade hybrids all have similar or better performance than their conventional counterparts. Unless automakers start putting SUV platforms on low steel or other diets, they'll still need larger powerplants to meet customer's expectations of performance.

An Edge diesel on the other hand....

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The issue is that people who buy a SUV hybrid don't want to pay a lot of extra money for a really slow vehicle. The Escape, Highlander, RX, and Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade hybrids all have similar or better performance than their conventional counterparts. Unless automakers start putting SUV platforms on low steel or other diets, they'll still need larger powerplants to meet customer's expectations of performance.

An Edge diesel on the other hand....

 

There's nothing saying they can't utliize more powerful hybrid setups. I'm not talking performance hybrids as have been mentioned. I simply mean something like the 2.0 EB in conjunction with an electric motor (as was mentioned also) or perhaps an electric motor paired with the 3.5 V6 for fullsize vehicles.

 

It's something that should be explored I think. People who buy large vehicles want good fuel economy too.

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People who buy large vehicles want good fuel economy too.

 

Exactly my point.

 

I think Ford could pull this off. I will seriously consider buying another one if they put the Eco Boost in it. I will be one of the first to order one if they make it with the hybrid engine.

Edited by Byrdman
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It's only questionable in my opinion because nobody has done it well yet. Pretty much all of the larger hybrids to hit the market so far are either "mild hybrids" or just not very good ones.

 

Not that I'm a Toyota lover, but the 2011 Highlander hybrid has 280hp combined, and rips off 7.4 second 0-60 times with a 15.4 1/4 mile. All while having AWD and returning 28mpg city. An Edge Sport would smoke it, but it gets 19mpg city ( ~30% less efficient?) .

 

Maybe if people start buying more of their hybrid SUVs (or any of their hybrids), Ford will be convinced to develop more hybrid powertrains. Another spike in gas prices should help. In the meantime, I think we'll see more of the formerly hybrid-exclusive technology (idle shutoff, regenerative braking, electric steering & A/C, etc) creep in to mainstream vehicles.

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If you engineer a V6 hybrid assembly, the logical choice for a gas motor would most likely be the 3.0L V6 duratec tuned on an Atkins cycle for higher efficiency.

 

The 3.0 is at the end of it's life. I keep hoping this is the application for the rumored 2.7 (Or a 3.0) Cyclone. (According to info from the time Cyclone was released it was engineered with Hybrid use in mind)

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  • 2 months later...

Not that I'm a Toyota lover, but the 2011 Highlander hybrid has 280hp combined, and rips off 7.4 second 0-60 times with a 15.4 1/4 mile. All while having AWD and returning 28mpg city. An Edge Sport would smoke it, but it gets 19mpg city ( ~30% less efficient?) .

 

Maybe if people start buying more of their hybrid SUVs (or any of their hybrids), Ford will be convinced to develop more hybrid powertrains. Another spike in gas prices should help. In the meantime, I think we'll see more of the formerly hybrid-exclusive technology (idle shutoff, regenerative braking, electric steering & A/C, etc) creep in to mainstream vehicles.

 

Hopefully, Ford won't WAIT until it is nearly bankrupt again.....

 

5 USD/USgallon IS coming. It's just a matter whether OPEC likes or dislikes the President during elections.

 

May as well keep the Sport (& Limited w/ Sport package!) but offer the hybrid system too. If the hybrid Edge can

match or beat the Toy-onda mileage & acceleration by even ONE point then Ford wins!

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With what little money they have, A much better alternative would be a hybrid Ranger. Make sure it can handle a decent load in the bed, and it will zip along 30mpg, ala the equally tiny ford escape hybrid :reading:

 

People aren't exactly lining up to buy the Ranger as it is. A hybrid certainly won't prolong its life any.

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wasn't there word a few years ago that ford was working on a 3.5l hybrid?

 

iirc the rumor was it was to go into the edge and Taurus.

 

If I remember correctly at the Detroit Auto Show where the new 3.5 V6 was introduced, Ford did say the engine was designed with hybrid application in mind. And Ford also said it was going to do an Edge Hybrid over two years ago, but somehow that plan got pushed aside. I suspect Ford just decided to do EB instead. Maybe the costs were too high and Ford felt EB offered more bang for the buck.

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