XL has announced a plug-in hybrid-electric system for Ford’s 2019 F-250 pickup, and says the product will boost fuel economy by 50 percent and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent. The system is designed for installation on new F-250s with the 6.2-liter gasoline V-8 and should fit subsequent model-year F-250s with that engine.
Like other XL hybrid systems, this one bolts onto a truck’s driveline and chassis, and works alongside the stock powertrain without interfering with it. Its electric boosting, especially at launch, reduces the need for engine power and thus saves fuel. The lithium-ion battery pack is recharged during braking and while plugged in at night or other periods when the truck is parked.
The XL Hybrid plug-in hybrid electrification system consists of a 15 kW-hour lithium-ion battery pack, a driveshaft-mounted electric motor, and a motor drive with control software. It also includes the XL Link on-board telematics system, which comes standard with all XL-equipped vehicles.
Price is $25,000 to $27,000 installed, said Eric Foellmer, XL’s marketing director: Installations are done at qualified upfit partners around the country, such as Knapheide and Adrian Steel. Customers order their vehicle from their dealers, specify their accessories, and vehicles are sent to upfitters. An installation can be done in less than a day, so it does not delay the delivery time of that vehicle, according to XL. It can be removed from a truck when it’s to be sold or traded and installed on another chassis.
