2024 Ford Maverick Plug-In Hybrid: What is the Range of a Ford Maverick Plug-in Hybrid? – Because of the overwhelming demand for Ford’s cute, tiny, and reasonably priced Maverick pickup, the automaker was forced to cease accepting orders for the vehicle. Despite this setback, however, the Maverick pickup truck is continuing to undergo development. We were able to get covert photographs of an intriguing prototype that seems to be both an all-wheel drive (AWD) and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicle, a combination that is not yet available among the Mav’s available engine options. Also, it may provide a glimpse of a brand-new engine that will be included with this hybrid system. Let’s delve in and see if we can’t find any further information on this brand-new vehicle that’s very little but nonetheless rather competent.
The fact that this Maverick utilizes all-wheel drive is the first item that will be covered in this article. It is not unheard of since there is a variant with all-wheel drive that can be purchased, but it is only compatible with the Maverick’s optional turbocharged 2.0-liter gas I-4 and not the base hybrid model. It is probable that Ford decided to keep the portfolio minimal in its initial year, both to simplify the alternatives that are shown to customers and to keep the company’s development burden under control.
It seems that Ford is at last making progress toward developing an all-wheel-drive hybrid vehicle now that the launch of the truck is behind us. The good news is that from the very beginning, the Maverick was intended to be a hybrid all-wheel drive vehicle. Even though it has a battery with 1.1 kWh capacity, the hybrid pickup truck Maverick with front-wheel drive can only accommodate it on the passenger side of the elevated rear floor. The Maverick floor has space for a second battery, which will likely be necessary if you decide to go with all-wheel drive (AWD). Just one thing: Ford’s thinking seems to have moved from a basic AWD hybrid option to a full-blown electrified Maverick as a result of the additional capacity. That’s right, this is a plug-in hybrid, which will be capable of prolonged engine-off, EV-only propulsion.
There is a marking that reads “2.1L” on the external sensor box, and although we try not to jump to conclusions too often, we are going to presume that this suggests that there is something in the system that has a capacity of 2.1 liters. This is an intriguing point to consider given that the current generation of the 2024 Ford Maverick Plug-In Hybrid utilizes an inline four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 2.5 liters, and even the EcoBoost engine in the AWD version has a displacement of 2.0 liters with a turbocharger. Yet, a distinct “PHEV” marking can be seen on the same component, so here is what we make of all this, having first hypothesized that this was a reference to a new engine size that Ford does not presently produce:
In a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), as well as in a conventional hybrid vehicle, the canister often has to be made larger since the internal combustion engine does not operate continuously. This is due to the fact that the fuel tank cannot undergo routine ventilation to remove the fumes that are produced by the gasoline contained inside it. In a traditional internal combustion engine, the gas tank vapors are purged from the canister and into the engine. But, in a hybrid vehicle, there is a possibility that this component will not be operating as often; as a result, you will need to make allowances for a greater vapor capacity. What repercussions does this have on the powertrain of the Maverick PHEV? As the Maverick hybrid and the Escape PHEV are technically connected, we believe that it will utilize the same 2.5-liter inline-four engine that is used in the ordinary Maverick hybrid. Nevertheless, this engine will be upgraded to provide a greater electric-only range in line with the Escape PHEV. This also implies that we anticipate the battery capacity of the Maverick PHEV AWD to remain the same at 11.2 kWh. This is a significant increase over the Maverick hybrid, which only had a capacity of 1.1 kWh.
We’ll just have to wait and see what the Blue Oval has to say about this “2.1L” on this hybrid tester, but if you’ve always wanted a small truck that gets nearly 90 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) or better and has a range of over 30 miles when running on battery power alone, it looks like your wish might be coming true.
As a last item of interest, it seems that Ford is maybe testing out a new front bumper on the Maverick PHEV AWD. This is an intriguing possibility. It is somewhat more off-road friendly and gives the impression of being more competent when the paved road comes to an end. However, if you look carefully, you’ll see that the air dam that is normally integrated into the front bumper of the ordinary Maverick is missing from this tester’s bumper.
Review
The Ford Maverick is one of the most recent products to come from the automaker known as the Blue Oval, and ever since it was released to the public, it has been quite popular. The compact truck is now offered with a hybrid drivetrain that turns the front wheels; however, it is possible that an all-wheel-drive model with electrification may be developed in the near future. Recent covert photography has shown a Maverick undergoing testing while sporting some peculiar and illuminating upgrades.
There is some writing on the junction box that is mounted to the back door of the pickup truck. This writing prompts a few inquiries. It says “PHE-V” and “2.1L” quite plainly, which leads one to believe that this vehicle is powered by a PHEV powertrain that is 2.1 liters in capacity. The box also has text on it that seems to imply the truck’s “Base Weight” moved from “1684” to “1790,” which makes sense if these quantities are in kilograms. The box also has wording that appears to show the truck’s “Base Weight” increased from “1684” to “1790.” The new starting weight is 3,946 pounds after the adjustment.
As compared to the other Maverick variations, it would seem to be on the hefty side for the pickup, but it really looks sensible. The gasoline-powered, all-wheel-drive Maverick weighs in at 3,731 pounds, according to the scales (1,692 kg). The addition of the PHEV hardware, the apparent all-wheel-drive system, and a bigger battery would all result in an increase in weight for the vehicle. This Maverick has what seems to be an independent rear suspension, which suggests that Ford is driving all four wheels.
Camouflage was applied in sections to the vehicle by Ford; however, the front clip and doors were not included in this. Since the truck has what seem to be makeshift headlamps and there is a lot of cladding over the front end, it is possible that this was an early test vehicle. There is also a bed cap on the vehicle, which might be concealing some new gear from nosy onlookers. Nonetheless, Ford shouldn’t have to make too many adjustments to the truck in order to make room for extra electric vehicle components.
Even though Ford built the Maverick to have room for a second battery to be stored below the floor, the hybrid version of the vehicle only includes a 1.1-kilowatt-hour battery. The additional storage area would be ideal for extending the all-electric driving range of the vehicle. With a battery pack that has a capacity of 14.4 kWh, the Escape PHEV is able to provide a range of 59 kilometers (37 miles), and we will have to wait and see whether the Maverick PHEV can compete with that. In the event that this is not a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle model, the addition of a Maverick hybrid with all-wheel drive should be appreciated.