Electric rear drive for AWD Hybrid?

[jsus]

The Hybrid Escape AWD design is from 2004/2005. Almost 20 years ago when the original compact Ranger was being built.

Just as there was a reason for the new Maverick Truck there are good reasons for a modern new (for Ford) rear wheel drive for the AWD Hybrid.

Ford has already said they want to "Electrify" all their vehicles.

Maverick Hybrid is a minimally tweaked version of the Escape Hybrid powertrain. Same exact battery, same exact engine, the one key difference is a new electric motor (believe MG2 on the eCVT, which is otherwise much the same as Escape).

The whole point of Maverick wasn't to throw things out and start anew. It was to capitalize on the established C2 platform and its existing powertrains and other components. They just tweaked it to add a bed on the back, and engineered things like the 4k tow package. Even still, a lot of the upgraded components are similar/same as Bronco Sport Badlands, etc., which was already developed and in production at the same plant as Maverick.

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[Waterick]

Unless I'm mistaken, the my23 Escape hybrid no longer offers AWD. Perhaps it now has the newer electric motor.

 

[jsus]

Unless I'm mistaken, the my23 Escape hybrid no longer offers AWD. Perhaps it now has the newer electric motor.

Indeed, you are mistaken.

Active Hybrid is available for fleet customers only, as both FWD and AWD.

ST-Line Hybrid is FWD only.

ST-Line Select Hybrid is AWD only.

ST-Line Elite Hybrid is AWD only.

Platinum Hybrid is FWD or AWD.

 

[Automate]

Corsair (Lincoln Escape) PHEV (GT) already has a rear eAWD motor...

All the more reason to go electric rear drive since they could share design and parts. The Cosair is currently only available as a plugin Hybrid. But Ford has already said, it's only a matter of time before they come out with a plugin Hybrid Maverick.

 

[jsus]

All the more reason to go electric rear drive since they could share design and parts. The Cosair is currently only available as a plugin Hybrid. But Ford has already said, it's only a matter of time before they come out with a plugin Hybrid Maverick.

The eAWD setup really relies on the much larger PHEV HVB so a standard hybrid Maverick AWD would likely be mechanical. It'd really need to be able to supply electricity to the rear motor at any time without notice, meaning it couldn't directly take power from the ICE to the rear wheels if needed. They could do a FHEV with eAWD but it's not likely.

As it is, the rear eAWD motor is basically treated like a luxury/premium upgrade relegated to Corsair only, so that's another knock against it trickling down to a budget parts bin truck.

 

[Automate]

The eAWD setup really relies on the much larger PHEV HVB so a standard hybrid Maverick AWD would likely be mechanical. It'd really need to be able to supply electricity to the rear motor at any time without notice, meaning it couldn't directly take power from the ICE to the rear wheels if needed. They could do a FHEV with eAWD but it's not likely.

The Hybrid battery can always be available to instantly provide power to the rear wheels. What it can't do is provide this power for very long. But that is when the ICE/generator can take over and provide the electrical power.

 

[jsus]

The Hybrid battery can always be available to instantly provide power to the rear wheels. What is can't do it provide this power for very long. But that is when the ICE/generator can take over and provide the electrical power.

Never said it couldn't, but that's less than ideal. Regardless, eAWD is unlikely to find a home in Maverick when they went to the expense of developing, sourcing, and installing both AWD systems on the same assembly line at Louisville for Escape vs. Corsair.

 

[Automate]

Never said it couldn't, but that's less than ideal. Regardless, eAWD is unlikely to find a home in Maverick when they went to the expense of developing, sourcing, and installing both AWD systems on the same assembly line at Louisville for Escape vs. Corsair.

Makes it more likely. They already have the design and manufacturing process figured out. (the difficult and expensive part). Now they just need to clone it to the Maverick / Hermosillo.

 

[Maverick2022XL]

The answer is in the suspension on hybrids. They use a different type from the AWD. The FWD supensions have force vectoring springs and a rear twist beam suspension for starters. Part of the reason for using it on the hybrids is it lessens the overall weight of the vehicle and improves MPG. The drawback with a rear twist beam suspension is there is no room to fit the AWD components. That is why there is no AWD offered on hybrids. The suspension setup is also reason they don't offer 4k towing on FWD models regardless of engine.

https://www.motortrend.com/features/2022-ford-maverick-truck-force-vectoring-springs/
https://www.autoblog.com/2021/12/01/ford-maverick-fuel-economy-suspension-deep-dive/

 

[Darnon]

The suspension setup is also reason they don't offer 4k towing on FWD models regardless of engine.

They did initially for EcoBoosts. The reason it was dropped for FWD was they eventually thought better on the driving dynamics. More weight on the rear of the vehicle counterbalancing the front's downforce causing loss of traction.

 

[Maverick2022XL]

They did initially for EcoBoosts. The reason it was dropped for FWD was they eventually thought better on the driving dynamics. More weight on the rear of the vehicle counterbalancing the front's downforce causing loss of traction.

That is part of it but there were distortion issues because that type of suspension is not well suited for heavier towing loads.

 

[Darnon]

That is part of it but there were distortion issues because that type of suspension is not well suited for heavier towing loads.

That's the first time I've seen the claim made that Ford was experiencing suspension damage on FWD 4k test vehicles.

 

[Automate]

The answer is in the suspension on hybrids.

The answer to what question? Obviously any AWD Maverick is going to need a different rear suspension than a FWD, regardless of whether it's a mechanical or electrical rear drive. It will not use the twist beam suspension that is in the FWD EB and Hybrids.

Toyota, who is generally considered the leader in Hybrids, has gone to electric rear drives in all their new AWD Hybrids. This includes everything from the lowly Prius, up through the RAV4, Sienna and into the Lexus vehicles.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-four

 

[Scott Asheville]

When/if the Maverick Hybrid AWD is released, we'll need a thread where folks can post pictures of how far their jaws dropped when they saw the price. Ford is motivated to make the hybrid FWD a loss leader for reasons only they know. Probably CAFE rules. I'm really dubious any AWD version would be similarly underpriced.

On the other hand, if the AWD hybrid is also a loss leader (could happen), I guess I'll be posting pics of how far my jaw dropped.

 

[MLowe05]

I mean, they could still use a twist beam rear suspension and have AWD if they wanted to. Mazda does this.

Not saying that's the answer, but it is possible.

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