2009 Ford F-150 SFE Hybrid

2009 Ford F-150 SFE Fuel-Efficient Pick-up Truck

Not to be outdone in the market they’ve dominated for so many years, Ford has engineered a strong response to the Chevy Silverado XFE with the 2009 Ford F-150 SFE. While still maintaining its sterling credentials as a serious work truck, the ‘09 F-150 SFE still carries the same 7,500lbs tow capacity – but with a 12% higher fuel economy.

Available as a trim package on both the F-150 SuperCrew XL and XLT 4×2 pick ups, the F-150 SFE will feature a 4.6L V8 engine and will average an EPA estimated 15 mpg city/ 21 hwy. The F-150 SFE’s new fuel economy can largely be attributed to Ford’s new lightweight engineering, which shaved roughly 100lbs off previous model years’ curb weight. The increase in mpg’s is also the result of Ford’s unique hybrid pick-up engineering which continuously regulating fuel consumption.

To maximize fuel economy, the F-150 SFE employs an automatic deceleration fuel shut-off system. When the acceleration pedal is released, the flow of fuel is temporarily shut-off, but is automatically restored once the driver accelerates again. Anticipating the possibility of engine hesitation caused by the continuous interruption to the fuel delivery system, Ford has engineered “proprietary software” to integrate the fuel-saving technology with the F-150’s powertrain. I say: I’m sincerely rooting for Detroit as a whole to rally against the growing dominance of imports in the American market, and I’m especially rooting for Ford, but I’ll admit I’m a little skeptical of anything that shuts off the delivery of fuel to the engine. What I’m most interested in is how the fuel shut-off system will fare over time, so I guess I’ll have to wait and see if I can get my hands on a test mule to find out.

[Photo Source: thetorquereport.com]