Ford is working on an all-electric version of its F-150 pickup truck
- Ford has revealed plans to make a fully electric version of its F-150 pickup truck, the best-selling vehicle in the US for decades.
- Ford previously announced plans to market a hybrid gas-electric version of the pickup.
- Ford didn't provide a timeline for the electric F-150's arrival, but the hybrid is scheduled for 2020.
Ford took the occasion of the Detroit auto show kicking off this week in Motown to announce an all-electric version of its best-selling F-150 pickup.
The automaker has previously said that it would market a hybrid gas-electric version of the F-150, which has been the sales leader for all vehicles sold in the US for decades. In 2018, Ford sold more than a million F-Series pickups worldwide.
Ford confirmed that the all-electric F-150 was under development, but the automaker didn't provide a timeline for the pickup hitting the streets.
The automaker is in the midst of a multi-billion-dollar restructuring under CEO Jim Hackett, but the F-150 has already been substantially revamped. A new design was launched in 2015, featuring lightweight aluminum construction and fuel-efficient, powerful turbocharged engine options.
The hybrid is the next step, enabling Ford to sustain the F-Series and its profit margins in the case of a future of more stringent government fuel-economy standards.
An all-electric F-150 comes as a bit of a surprise. But the engineering advantages of electric pickups are appealing: the large, full-size platform is ideal for carrying a large battery, needed to supply adequate range, power, and towing capability.
Several other carmakers are entering the all-electric pickup game. Startup Rivian revealed its truck at the LA Auto Show last year, and Tesla has been teasing the public with its own pickup ideas for years.