Considering the order banks closed in a week, I guess it's not hurting ford too much. It's probably less about the money, more about the scheduling efficiency. I don't think Ford cares if the EcoBoost buyers wants awd, they decided that if you want an EcoBoost you will get AWD. If it helps keep things moving more efficiently, I'm fine with it. Sorry not sorryFord decided that anyone ordering a Lariat EB wanted/needed AWD?? Not everyone wanting a Lariat EB wants AWD!! It raises the base price over the XLT by about $5700. Ford obviously believes this will make the company more money on Lariats they do sell and also steer people who do not want AWD to the XLT which in their projections they want to be over fifty percent of sales. They also realize that prospective Lariat EB buyers will switch to fully loaded XLT's. Percentage of profit is higher in the option packages. IMHO!
The AWD is the same system as used on all the trims sans ones with a Tremor package.
They require it as part of the LUX package same as a 2022. My guess is to streamline production and delivery times they decided to drop the other drivetrain options on Lariats. There really isn't much in base Lariat package that you can't get on a fully loaded XLT trim. Unless the finance people at Ford are a bunch of bozos they've figured out how and where the spread out the potential cost of trading up from an XLT to a Lariat hybrid based on the percentage of MY2022 orders in the 2023 lower trim pricing.
Search around the forum, the short answer is the reason why they don't offer AWD on the hybrids is the same reason they don't offer 4k tow on FWD models, because of the suspension system. AWD and FWD models use different suspensions. The FWD variant as far as AWD goes doesn't have room to accomodate the AWD components. With the Tremor package you now have 3rd different suspension system being offered.
It seems like your response indicates that all EB's come with AWD; that is true only of the Lariat. I agree that obviously Ford decided that if you want a LARIAT EB you take AWD. Surprised that if this is this is only for "scheduling efficiency" it was just restricted to the Lariat.
The Tremor isn't really a different suspension. Tuned differently and a slight lift yes but the system is the same. What's different is the twin clutch which is more so a drivetrain component. The suspension in all the AWD models is the same in design.
