New 2020 Ford Focus RS to get 300kW, mild-hybrid tech

[Wretched]

The replacement for the current Ford Focus RS, due in 2020, will come equipped with the Blue Oval’s forthcoming 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, it has been revealed.

According to Brit mag Autocar, the next-gen Focus RS hot hatch — based on the redesigned Focus that’s soon to be revealed — will out-gun all its rivals and produce 300kW/576Nm, putting it head-to-head with more expensive premium hot hatch rivals like the Audi RS 3 and Mercedes-AMG A 45.


Tipped to use a development of the current car’s 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, the faster Focus RS will deliver its extra power and torque thanks to the addition of an integrated starter/generator (ISG) that adds 22kW/94Nm, says Autocar.

Fed by an on-board 48-volt electrical system that gets its own small lithium-ion battery, the fourth-generation Focus RS will benefit from greater performance low-down in the rev range. This will not only boost performance, but also allow the Ford to stick within its optimum powerband for more efficient driving.

The ISG will also allow longer engine-off periods, even when cruising.

With the extra power, the British car mag says Ford will shave off 0.4 seconds off the car’s 0-100km/h time, with the 2020 Focus RS capable of hitting the performance benchmark in around 4.3 seconds.

Crucially for Ford, which is facing huge pressure to meet mandatory European regulations that dictate its fleet of vehicles should average 95g/km of CO2 by 2021, the new 48-volt mild-hybrid technology will shave up to 30g/km off the current car’s 175g/km emissions rating.

Other new tech to be offered in Ford’s new flagship hatch include the option of a dual-clutch auto for the first time, to help satisfy demand from the US and China for a two-pedal Focus RS.

Based on a modified and heavily updated version of the current Focus’ C2 platform, which will boast a 50mm-longer wheelbase, the next Focus RS will also bring significant weight-saving materials, although the resulting 50kg cut is likely to be cancelled out by the new 48-volt mild-hybrid hardware.

Set to be on sale by 2020, Ford’s fastest ever Focus RS is expected to be more expensive that the current model, which costs $50,990, to help cover the cost of the new 48-volt tech.

Back in January, Ford vice-president Jim Farley described the move to electrification as “inevitable” and announced a pure-electric performance vehicle, called the Mach 1, would be on sale by 2020.

https://www.motoring.com.au/next-202...d-tech-111933/

[Bossxr8]

Interesting they are passing this off as fact when it seems like a rumour.

Does sound good though.

[stefcio007]

Ford is launching 20 new hybrid vehicles across 2018-2019. As time goes on we'll get the juicy details. Above was known for quite some time.

These kinds of cars I call reverse-hybrids. Using the electric engine to make up the deficiencies of the combustion engine so that you can power basically all the time. Still, why do this? Well, you still get a great sounding engine this way.

Maybe in the future we'll do away with combustion engines but I don't think the world has the manufacturing capacity to make so many batteries, at least for the current technology.

[Cheech]

It's likely that the extra power will be needed to make up for the extra weight.
At 1575kgs our MK3 is no light weight.
I wonder what the mass of the additional battery packs and generators will be.

[marg99]

Seriously are they using the dual clutch box that they ceased selling in Australia because it was hopelessly designed

[Cheech]

One would assume that a DC gearbox would be sourced from another supplier and wouldn't be the POS that was installed in the previous foci.

Purists of the RS will probably go for a manual as RS heritage has always been about fun, performance and driveability at a price for the masses.

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by stefcio007

Maybe in the future we'll do away with combustion engines but I don't think the world has the manufacturing capacity to make so many batteries, at least for the current technology.

The problem as we all know with the current battery technology is the time it takes to recharge them and how the current grid (even with residential PV solar installations) will cope if the majority of us have electric cars in the future.

Sure you can use an expensive "Supercharger" that recharges in 20 minutes or so... But you won't have one of these at home or at your workplace.

The problem is deeper as far as the number of batteries needed, as most people will want to charge their cars overnight when the sun is not shining, so PV solar will also need batteries to store the solar electricity generated during the day for that purpose.

The average motorist using an electric car as a daily will use about 5,000KwH
per year to charge their cars every day.

This is more than twice the electricity most people use to power their homes in one year!

Can you imagine the power blackouts in this country with current infrastucture.

The smarter idea would be to have car batteries that you drain the discharged electrolyte and then quickly refill your batteries with newly charged electrolyte.

I believe most current service stations will be converted to dispense electrolyte from browsers at the speed it takes you to currently fill with petrol.

The drained old electrolyte will be stored in separate tanks then collected by tankers and taken to mass electrolyte charging refineries which also include their own power generation by solar or other means and delivered back to the servos.

This is the way of the future IMO.

[stefcio007]

Hence why I think plug-in hybrids are what everyone will use in the near future. Small batteries, lower overall cost and you don’t need to charge if you don’t want to (regents braking). You get the same instant torque from a start stop and if you are stuck in traffic you can save on having to use the petrol engine to creep. For the far future I think you are right but hydrogen powered cars which is what you’re thinking have been talked about since the early 2000s.