Mazda Tribute Hybrid
It took Ford five years
and 100 engineers to successfully integrate a hybrid
powertrain into the conventional Escape to produce the
hybrid Escape, and the foundation of the Mazda Tribute hybrid as well.
Unfortunately,
due to battery supply constraints, Ford had to scale back its hybrid vehicle
plans, limiting availability of the the Tribute hybrid.
Still, there are Tribute hybrids available. Thus, if you are more of a fan of Mazda styling versus Ford styling, then perhaps the Mazda Tribute hybrid is the right hybrid for you.
How the Tribute hybrid
does it.
Combining two electric
motors, one to drive the wheels, the other to turn over
the gas engine, with the standard Tribute 2.3 -liter four-cylinder gas engine,
the Tribute HEV is expected to get 35 mpg and perform
as well as the 200-hp V-6 version.
The hybrid Tribute's gasoline
engine has been modified to run on the Atkinson cycle,
unlike the standard Tribute, which like all conventional
automobiles, runs on the Otto cycle.
This cycle runs more
efficiently, using less air and fuel, but also reduces
engine horsepower, and that's where the electric motors
kick in.
One motor drives the
wheels on the Tribute hybrid, the other starts the engine
and manages the transmission's ratio.
These electric motors improve fuel economy in city
driving, allowing the vehicle to be powered by electric
power only, and by capturing energy more efficiently.
Yes, you still have to keep gas in the hybrid Tribute.
Similar to other
hybrids, the Mazda Tribute will utilize a variable
transmission system, which Ford calls Electronically
Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission or eCVT.
This allows the distribution of power between the
gasoline engine and the electric motor to be determined
by driving conditions, allowing the gas engine to shut
off when the electric engine can provide enough power to
run the hybrid SUV - significantly increasing
fuel-efficiency.
The Tribute hybrid also uses
regenerative braking, allowing the vehicle to
recapture some of the vehicle's kinetic energy to
recharge the hybrid's battery pack.
How Will the Tribute
perform?
Most important, the
Mazda Tribute Hybrid will perform at any level, on-road or
off-road, as well as, if not better, than the standard
Tribute.
For those that have to have an SUV, but feel
guilty about purchasing a gas-guzzling SUV, the Mazda
Tribute could be the perfect solution.
Some people have been
bothered by the hybrid Escape's drive-by-wire brake and
accelerator controls, as well as the electric power
steering, claiming less responsiveness, but hopefully,
this issue will be resolved on the Tribute hybrid.
Read our article on the Ford
Escape Hybrid Test Drive, to get an ideal of what
the Tribute hybrid will be like.
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