Not sure if anyone has posted this yet, thought it was kinda cool. Hopefully it comes out on the 09's!

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/11...raulic-launch/

 

Dang, I just came across the same article. I was hoping I could be the first report it to the forum. Sounds like some pretty cool technology though! Read more about it here:

http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directo...or_Corporation

Here is some more info on the F350 Tonka Truck if you guys don't remember it:

http://www.rockcrawler.com/trailrepo...onka/index.asp

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=10698

 

I read that too. I'm curious how it would work on a morning like this when its -24C/-11F !!!! That "tank" of hydraulic oil had better be synthetic!

 

interesting....

 

One more thing to break...

 

Yeah... hydraulics are such a new and unproven technology

Of all the hybrid technologies available on full size trucks, this one gets my vote in the reliability department. Hydraulic systems are very simple in comparison to the generator/battery powered systems currently available.

 

I heard that the FlexFuel concept is on its way out the door. Turns out, its hard for the farmers keeping up with supply, and it makes more hazardous waste to make the fuel. Just something I heard, thats all. If this (hydro stuff) comes out on the 09s, Im defenitly waiting at least a year to purchase one. Seems like a good idea though.

 

I didn't say that the system itself would be unreliable. It adds one more thing that eventually, no matter how well built and designed, will break.

And honestly, this HLA thing sounds kinda gimmicky.

 

farming an area of land will deplete it of its nutrients sooner or later so if the whole country moved to corn powered cars, we would probably lose hundreds of thousands of farming acres just because they were farmed too much....but in defense it was making money for the farmers which was good for the U.S. economy so i don't no where i stand on the whole deal

 

I dunno why they just don't use diesel technology... heck, I was talking to a guy that works for SAE, like Society of Automotive Engineers or something like that..... but anyhow, he's telling me all this stuff about how 40 mpg can be acheived out of a 1/2 ton truck and such... and even the SD's can get better miles per gallon diesel fuel. but I think he's right... I can't understand why Hyundai doesn't do diesel engine... like throw some small yanmars in there little cars or something... I dunno... just some thoughts rolling right outta my heady... thats all

 

This ethanol craze is a joke, its just a way for the government to give us hope, and to get corn farmers rich. Automakers should be focusing on biodiesel, seeing as how its more efficient, cleaner, and better than diesel in pretty much EVERY WAY, except it gels in cold weather a bit faster.

 

I'm a member of SAE and I think you are both on to something there... Ethanol isn't a real solution for the US and contrary to what some believe it isn't making the farmers rich - it's just making them handle more revenue. Making a food product a direct substitute for petroleum is not the solution. By doing so, you end up driving up the price of corn which of course causes a ripple-effect across the agriculture industry.... (Higher corn prices motivate farmers plant corn in lieu of other crops which results in higher seed and fertilizer costs, not to mention the rising cost of the crops which no become in shortage. Farmers also plant more land in an effort to keep up with rising demand resulting in higher land prices in rural areas and the associated property taxes for the farmers who already own land. Higher corn demand drives up livestock feed prices causing some farmers move away from producing livestock. The sudden shift from cattle production to corn production results in higher beef prices.... etc) All of this negative impact on other markets and the energy per unit of ethanol is less than the gas it was supposed to replace. (Measured joule/gram)

Diesel on the other hand is a viable substitute for gasoline and the technology is already in place. You would think after the past 5-years of watching foreign auto manufacturers take over the market with fuel efficient vehicles, the big three would finally get up off their @sses and bring some innovative new diesel vehicles to the market. But instead we're getting a body-style refresh with the same 5.4l Alright - done venting.

 

HAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!! I know!!! It's like a very bad joke. I keep waiting for the punch line... but in the end it'll probably just as everyone has said, the same old 5.4 in a 'new' body...

 

Yeah, but not to mention we already have an easier to use biofuel... can you guess what it is? I think everyone has it in their household.

It's called cooking oil.

It's been proven that burning cooking oil or what is known as "edible" type of fats, is better for a diesel engine than burning dino diesel and will make the engine last 2x longer.

Nooooo... the government wants to use E85 and make everyone buy new cars and trucks to make sure it works.

Especially since there is no E85 converter without spending a lot of money on one.

Using biodiesel will run in anything diesel.

I know because my friend who owns a restaurant gives his deep fryer oil to his father in law, he runs it through a filter a few times, and then has a pump that pumps it in to his F350 7.3l PS. No issues, and the truck runs great.