Ranger Plug-In Hybrid Will Run Your Campsite
The idea of a plug-in hybrid 4X4 might make you roll your eyes, but hear us out. Ford just pulled the wraps off the Ranger Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and it’s…
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Posts by tag
hybrid
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HOW IT WORKS – HYBRID 4X4S
For the last 100 years or so the powertrains motoring us down the tracks haven’t changed a great deal. Sure, they’ve gotten more complex, but the same basic things are happening whether you’re cruising into camp in a Model T or a twin-turbo V6 Ranger Raptor. Fuel and air makes its way into a chamber, it’s combusted, pushes a piston down, spins a crank, goes through some sort of gearing arrangement to make the power usable, turns a diff, drives a wheel. You can look at a supercar and a flathead V8 and see the same basic principles. But things are rapidly changing. With the push for electric vehicles that paradigm has shifted so dramatically someone from 2004 could barely recognise the propulsion systems in an all-electric F-150 Lightning. But are hybrids much simpler? They promise to be the perfect middle ground between old and new, proven technology and the stuff of the future. But how do they actually work? We take a closer look at this often understood technology and do a deep dive to see its viability in a 4X4 landscape. WHERE’S THE MOTOR? When it comes to talking hybrid drivetrains the actual ‘how’ can be far more confusing than the ‘what’. Like any new technology there’s a whole host of different manufacturers trying to get a jump…
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Ford’s Ranger Plug-In Hybrid Hits the Scene
Brand allegiance aside, it’s hard to argue against Ford’s innovation of late. From one end of the market to the other, they’re kicking goals. For those after the convenience of…
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Pioneer Campers new off-road hybrid revealed
Pioneer Campers was purchased by Track Trailers and after a challenging COVID-protracted development cycle, the Pioneer Verve was born.
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Track Trailer T4 Review: Uncommonly Uncompromising
In this product review, Pat gives you his thoughts on the Track Trailer T4 Hybrid Caravan. It looks like a ‘regular’ single axle off-road caravan by all intents and purposes. Off-road suspension and tyres, loads of ground clearance, and a bed up against one end. But in reality, that’s like comparing a Datsun Fairlady to a Lamborghini Huracan. Yes, they’re both sports cars, but one is a supercar, and the other is not. If you hadn’t already worked it out, the Australian-engineered and built Track Trailer T4 is the Lambo in this analogy. With their glut of winding roads and doorway to Europe, it makes sense that the Italians would design sexy fast cars that know how to corner. Yet it makes even more sense that Australia would be the home of the finest off-road creations on the planet. The caravan industry in Australia has, however, had a chequered past. Manufacturers come and go with the seasons, and things like R&D and warranty are what some builders consider ‘optional’. Track Trailer sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. While its trailers remain essentially hand-built, the roots of the company lie in military contract fulfilment. Before building fancy $100K-plus off-road caravans, they built off-road trailers for the Australian Army. Before Tesla had a Trunk, the T4 had one… HYBRID-OGRAPHY The…
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Ford to invest $15,000,000,000 on EV tech
U.S. auto giant Ford have recently announced a significant investment in EV tech. The $11.4 Billion USD investment will be split between three battery factories and a fourth factory dedicated…
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7000km from a hybrid-diesel
As the battle for future proof engines rages on between fuel efficient internal combustion engines and battery powered electronic vehicles one contender is often overlook. Hybrid electric. And for good…
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Why Electric Vehicle (EV) 4X4s are and are not our future
The electric vehicle revolution is well and truly upon us…or is it? The statistics don’t lie. The electric vehicle share of the market in 2020 was around 0.78%, and in 2021, 1.57%. There are another 30 or so EVs being launched into our market, including specialist Polestar. Overseas, Norway is above 75% EV new-car sales, and Rivian has delivered the world’s first EV 4X4 to customers in the USA. So EVs are inevitable, right? Yes, and no. Today, EVs can easily replace the vast majority of road cars and SUVs, which are mostly used in our capital cities for short trips, or excursions into the country of maybe 150km or so. Yes, I know that’s not you, but you’re not the average Australian motorist. With a range of 400-500km, the average Aussie driving 14,000km a year – which is 38km per day – can easily have their car needs met by an EV, especially as both range and charging options are improving. My experience of running an EV is that you can drive around town all day, charge off a 10A plug overnight at 10km of range per hour, and be good to go at 100% the next day which is why EV owners rarely use public chargers in their home city. I towed a Tvan with a Tesla! Worked…
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GM to scrap diesel- and petrol-powered Silverado by 2035
General Motors in the U.S. has just announced it will scrap petrol- and diesel-powered Silverado models before 2035 in a move to make the company carbon neutral by 2040. General…
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Solar charging stations in the middle of nowhere?
In an interesting move, Jeep has confirmed it’s putting solar charging stations in the middle of nowhere! With the recent announcement and launch of the hybrid Jeep Wrangler 4xe in…
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New Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series Engine Revealed
V8’s no more! The 1VD-FTV V8 power plant is one that outback travellers and 4WDers have become attached to, especially considering it has two turbos bolted to the side as…
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Darche Giveaway: The New Nebula 1550
Is it a swag? Is it a tent? Darche have recently launched a brand new and unique ‘hybrid’ product, just in time for your Easter getaway. The all-new Nebula 1550 is…
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