NEW F-150 GOES 756 MILES ON A SINGLE TANK. IS 40 MPG AROUND THE CORNER?

New 36-Gallon Fuel Tank on 2012 Ford F-150 EcoBoost 4x4 Lets Customers Drive Up to 756 Miles on One Tank of Gas With its new standard 36-gallon fuel tank, the 2012 Ford F-150 EcoBoost® pickup can drive nearly the entire length of California – from Oregon to Mexico – on one tank of gas. Responding to customer demand, F-150 EcoBoost now has a driving range of 756 miles between fill-ups. That long-distance highway cruising range is designed to save F-150 drivers time by reducing stops for fuel. “We know the majority of our customers use their F-150s daily for work or play. It’s an essential tool that enhances their productivity,” said Doug Scott, Ford Truck Group Marketing manager. “Reducing downtime for fuel stops can help them do their jobs more efficiently or get more out of their leisure time.” The 2012 F-150 EcoBoost 4x4, for example, can be driven nonstop from Atlanta to Detroit or from Houston to El Paso on a single tank of gas. It can go from Sierra, Calif., to Ram Lake, Ore., with 355 miles to spare. With only one fill-up along the way, the 2012 F-150 EcoBoost can be driven from Silverado, Calif., to Tundra, Texas, at a distance of 1,496 miles. Ford is quick to point out that the F-150’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, which debuted earlier this year, has become the industry’s top-selling V6 engine in full-sized pickups. The F-150 EcoBoost has been outselling all competitive V6 full-sized trucks – i.e., the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Toyota Tundra and Dodge Ram – combined. Since April, the F-150 EcoBoost has accounted for more than 40 percent of all F-150 sales. The EcoBoost engine, which can tow an industry-leading 11,300 pounds, is a $750 upgrade over the 5.0-liter V8. “The F-150’s 365-horsepower, 420 lb.-ft. of torque EcoBoost engine already delivers best-in-class towing,” said Scott. “Now, the 36-gallon fuel tank gives Ford truck customers an unbeatable combination of capability and driving range.”

A 40 MPG F-150? Ford has been incognito about earlier reports that they are working on an F-150 that gets 40 miles per gallon. Our colleagues at pickuptrucks.com reported that Ford is working with the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power and Folsom Technologies on a hydraulic hybrid F-150 pickup they say could hit 40 mpg in city use. "We have the potential to reach 40 miles per gallon or higher with hydraulic power," Perry Li, co-deputy director of CCEFP and a mechanical engineering professor, told Levine. "But we feel like we don't give up anything vs. an electric hybrid, and there are no batteries and nothing to recycle." “Instead of using batteries and electric motors, a hydraulic hybrid uses components called a reservoir and accumulator,” reports Levine. “The reservoir stores fluid that’s pressurized in the accumulator, which acts as a secondary energy source in tandem with the F-150’s internal combustion engine (a 4.6-liter V-8). The pressure is converted into energy that is sent to the rear wheels via what Li calls a ‘power split hydraulic hybrid architecture.’” Li has been mum about working with Ford, and Ford is not quite ready to confirm the reports. In the meantime, the official announcement of the 756 single-tank mileage range for the new F-150 appears to be just the beginning for greener Ford trucks to come.