It’s a history of electrification. Throughout the decades, Ford has reinvented its fleet - stripping away traditional engines and bolstering the chassis with battery packs and hybrid cells. All of its signature vehicles (including the Fusion, the Escape, the Expedition, and the Focus) have been defined by efficiency.
Will the F-150 soon join them?
Rumors have recently emerged that Ford is considering an all-electric pick-up - with the F-Series’ robust V8 replaced with lithium-ion energy. This news has been met with both acclaim and curiosity, with critics already debating potential specs. The Drive, however, urges caution for the future.... because there are no immediate plans to transform the F-150.
Upon recently examining the capabilities of its battery packs, Ford has determined that the F-150 should (for now) remain a V8 platform. Lithium performance is simply unable to adapt to the trailering demands of North America, and it can’t generate the same responses as the current 2017 version:
Horsepower: Up to 450.
Torque: Up to 510 lb.-ft.
Payloads: 2,329 pounds.
Towing: 10,500 pounds.
An electric platform - while more efficient - would prove ill-suited to the back-roads and would force drivers to compromise their hauling abilities. Until Ford can replicate the success of its 2017 F-150, it will not pursue an alternative engine.
We expect, however, that the high interest in a hybrid pick-up will spur new technological developments - and, hopefully, we’ll be spared a lengthy wait.
Share your thoughts about the possibility of an electric F-150 with us!