Kelly Johnson’s Post

View profile for Kelly Johnson

Senior Controls Engineer @ Seakeeper

How Clever Code Upgrades Drive Experience in New F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid    Test data shows improved powertrain smoothness in the 2024 Ford F-150® PowerBoost® hybrid pickup compared to the previous model year. This is thanks to over 300 software enhancements, dialed-in calibration and hundreds of thousands of development test miles. These upgrades enabled the elimination of the belt starter, simplifying the powertrain and providing a refined system solution for our hybrid trucks.    Traditionally, vehicles with internal combustion engines rely on a flywheel starter to spin up the engine, but the first-generation PowerBoost system also added a second starter integrated into the accessory belt drive.  Our team of Ford engineers developed software enhancements that allow the hybrid motor to take on this task, enabling the drive motor to spin up the engine through the transmission. These software upgrades result in a smoother blending of power between the electric hybrid motor and the gasoline engine for a more seamless drive. This improvement follows three years of development and data insights on the 2021 F-150 PowerBoost.     The elimination of the belt starter has resulted in a simplified supply chain, reduced complexity at the assembly facility, and reduced production costs. #WeAreFord

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Sam Tucker

Sales Engineer in the Automotive Industry | Recent Master’s Graduate

10mo

Nice work Kelly and team! I remember when this project started, congrats for getting it out to the customers.

Is this belt driven starter referred to as the starter generator?

Pat Bartlett

Engineer at Indiana University Health

10mo

Would that change be feasible for the 21 Power boost?

Mike Holliday

Founder at Holvan - We make practicing medicine fun again!

10mo

Is there a way to have these enhancements on a 2022 F-150? I've already had my BISG and transmission replaced. The truck still transitions between drive modes rather roughly, especially in ECO mode.

Bryan Cady

Remote and local WordPress website designer, builder, and caretaker of your website

10mo

How hard is on the transmission to do this extra work?

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Christopher Harto

Using Data and Analysis to Drive a Sustainable Future

10mo

Always great to see how these sorts of technology/cost improvements that are helping to deliver better, cheaper, more efficient vehicles to consumers.

Arturo C.

Product Lifecycle Management Specialist, R&D at The Clorox Company

10mo

Thank you and the rest of the team for this great technology, we have been very happy with our truck. I am also wondering if this update can be made to my 2022 Powerboost. In addition, I'd like to offer some feedback, 1. If feasible, for future models, I would gladly sacrifice payload capacity for a bigger battery, perhaps a plug-in option that would allow the truck to travel between 20-50 on one charge. 2. I purchased the 2.4kw option and would pay to upgrade to 7.2kw. Any plans to offer this? Maybe find 3rd party support? 3. Allow more customization to the infotainment system to display battery health, temperature etc. Similar to Rivians modular display. 4. Please bring back the Pro-power onboard option view/control to the Ford pass, including the trailer light check. Thank you.

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