Ford debuts not-for-us electrified F-150

Saturday, 27 June 2020

Ford has taken the wraps off its latest F-150, which can be had with a hybrid powertrain for the first time.

We won't see it though, as Ford has confirmed there aren't any official plans to build the full-size truck in right-hand drive. It will fall to third parties to convert the truck if Kiwi buyers want one badly enough.

The hybrid version is called 'PowerBoost' and combines the continuing 3.5-litre biturbo V6 with a 35kW electric motor. Total system output is yet to be confired but Ford says the electrified V6 will have a range of more than 1100km per tank.

You'd be quite hard pressed to tell the updated version apart from the outgoing model but there are changes.

The motor is connected to a 1.5kWh battery which is small by most standards but enough to boost towing capacity to 5440kg and allow for a bit of electric-only driving. Hopefully Ford sees fit to give the next-gen Ranger a similar treatment.

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American buyers will be able to customise their trucks with different grilles, wheels and colours.

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Inbuilt C-clamp points and an on-board generator. A tradie's dream.

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The gear shifter folds away to create a work surface between the front seats.

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Other powertrains include the 2.7-litre and 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6s, a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8, a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6, and the base 3.3-litre V6. All are carried over from the outgoing model and all get a ten-speed automatic transmission. Rear drive is standard while AWD is optional.

The all-electric Mach-E SUV will donate its hands-free driving system, called Active Driving Assistant, which uses exterior sensors and pre-mapped sections of road to allow total hands-off driving, though the driver should still remain alert and ready to take control. Ford has currently mapped about 160,000km of North American roads, but that only covers divided highways.

Speaking of all-electric - Ford confirmed the electric F-150 is still under development. We wouldn't be surprised to see some Mach-E tech be reused for the zero-emissions truck when it debuts in 2022.

Customers can also option the new F-150 with an onboard generator to charge various appliances from the tray. It comes with 2kW of capacity on petrol F-150s while the hybrid gets 2.4kW to play with, boostable to 7.2kW.

The two standard setups come with twin 120-volt outlets, while the 7.2-kW arrangement boasts four 120-volt plugs and a single 240-volt outlet.

Buyers can also spec on some lights in the tray for night-time use while the Tailgate Work Surface aims to prevent tailgate damage by adding dedicated C-clamp points. Additionally, Ford has upgraded the Pro Trailer Backup Assist to provide better rearward vision while a trailer is hooked up.

Inside the new F-150 are quite a few updates, like seats that fully recline, a foldaway gearshifter, the Sync4 infotainment system which adds more connectivity features and over-the-air update support and larger 8.0- and 12.0-inch touchscreens. A 12.3-inch digital display sits behind the wheel.

Top models get leather upholstery and Ford will add something called the Work Surface, which essentially creates a desk between the front seats.

Exterior changes are evolutionary. There is a redesigned bonnet and new doors while the headlights and taillights are slightly different from before. Ford will let you customise the grille, paint and wheels, though.

While the F-150 won't make it here as an official model, those hankering for a big ol' 'Murican truck can hit up Shelby NZ, which recently announced it will offer hot Shelby F-150s going forward.