What makes you think I’m referring to existing R10 transmission?  That’s the very first thing that needs to be replaced.

This is a silly example.  Being BEV doesn't automatically make it look better.  Giving people a choice between something that looks like the family truckster and something that looks like an exotic sports car next to each other, people will like the exotic better regardless of powertrain.     Different use cases?   Your whole argument has been NA engines are better, yet when talking about hybrids, then you push Ford to use a turbo? A powertrain that works in one application may not be optimal for another application.

But you’re completely glossing over the fact that a eCVT won’t work in heavy duty towing applications that a F-150 would be required to do.    The small electric motor is due to limitations of it being inside the R10 transmission.    At that point you’re just better going the EREV route. 

That’s a bad example of what can be accomplished.  The Ford F-150 PowerBoost HEV originally only had a 35 kW (47 HP) electric motor for electrification boost.  That’s really low by modern hybrid standards, especially considering the size and weight of an F-150.  It’s almost a mild hybrid (I thought Ford had upgraded electric motor but various sources still report 35 kW). The Honda Civic as example has 181 HP electric motor that exceeds the engine’s 145 HP; and that’s for a vehicle about half the weight of F-150.  Toyota similarly also uses powerful electric motors.  The Ford Maverick hybrid by comparison to F-150 hybrid also benefits from greater level of electrification.  That’s the direction Ford should take future hybrid pickups and large hybrids.  IMO a full-size hybrid pickup could easily have 300 HP or greater of electric boost.  A major problem is that required investment to design and manufacture new engines and new hybrid transmissions is probably very high.   Below are specs for Maverick hybrid.  I could easily see Ford roughly doubling those numbers or more to end up with at least 300 HP engine plus 300 HP electric for larger pickups — provided investment wasn’t a limitation.  But it is, so we may see very little in this area.    

That’s a lot of money.  A Godzilla crate engine by comparison can be purchased for +/- $8,500.  You’d have to add labor of course, but shows many small engines aren’t cheap.  Anyway, my limited research on cost to replace a battery pack roughly in 75 kWh range suggests it far exceeds $11k.  Even the smaller battery packs used in base Nissan Leaf or BMW i3 are so expensive that if they fail after car is out of warranty (normally after 8 years) the replacement cost exceeds the car’s value.  Doesn’t mean it can’t be done, but I’d have a hard time investing $15k or more on a 10-year-old Leaf that’s worth less than that.  While car could be salvaged by others, the owner would likely take a huge hit having to sell for pennies on the dollar.

From my experience the problem starts at the top, and the only way to correct it is with top down change (usually requiring a change in corporate culture). Having been on the supplier side, I do not see anything changing soon. Funny story, when Ford was doing a massive press shop modernization, all new hydraulic operated equipment was being installed in one area. There was a panic call just before startup that the hydraulic systems were malfunctioning - turns out the piping was very poorly done. Digging into how this happened, it seems that the contract for the hydraulic piping in that area was awarded to an electrical contractor due to their bid being lowest. And they had no experience in hydraulic piping, but knew how to run rigid conduit, and did a very substandard job. It looks as if this is endemic still.

I had a 2013 Escape with the 2.0EB and 6 speed.  I currently have a 2020 Escape with 2.0EB and 8 speed.  I occasionally drive a fleet model Escape with the 1.5EB and 8 speed.   Biggest difference is the noise.  1.5EB is noisier and rougher.  It's not horrible by any means.  But you would tell the difference.   Used to get 24 mpg on the old Escape.  Now I get 33-34 mpg on the new one.  For me, I prefer the smoother engine.  It's worth the couple of mpg difference.  Others may not have the same priorities.

People don't like change, but at the same time if you have a major ICE powertrain failure, it will cost you around 11K to get it fixed, going by a thread I've seen on Bronco6G with a Bronco Engine. 

Your not because if you went with an Atkinson style setup in a larger/more powerful engine, your power losses are going to be greater and not be evened out by adding a hybrid motor to help. Then add in additional weight etc and its more or less a lost cause. That is why Ford was marketing the hybrid in the F-150 as a power adder/power generation, not an increase in MPGs.   

Ford seems to be doing exactly that with the HF55 transmission (https://fordauthority.com/2025/01/2025-ford-maverick-transmissions-everything-you-need-to-know/).