The new Ford F-150 isn't a massive change from the old pickup truck — but it does show how Ford is thinking about the future

Matthew DeBordJun 26, 2020, 21:25 IST

Business Insider

Ford revealed the all-new, 2021 Ford F-150 this week.
The new F-150 is hugely important for Ford: it's been America's best-selling vehicle for 43 straight years, and it represents a big chunk of Ford revenue and profits.
Ford didn't radically reimagine the F-150; the 14th generation is more of an extension of the 13th than a reinvention.
But many aspects of the new F-150 look forward to a reimagined Ford.

Anyone expecting the 2021 Ford F-150 pickup truck to be a shot across the stainless-steel bow of the Tesla Cybertruck would have been disappointed by Thursday evening's much-anticipated reveal of America's favorite vehicle. While the Cybertruck evoked gasps and furious debates when it debuted last year, the new F-150 evoked a sense of absolute self-confidence and easy destiny.

It was nothing radically new. But then again, it didn't need to be. And to be honest, the relatively new Chevy Silverado also didn't reinvent the full-size pickup truck when it was revamped. Besides, Ford had already taken a considerable risk by engineering more lightweight aluminum into the F-150's body for the previous iteration, as well as by moving toward more turbocharged engines.

That doesn't meant the new F-150 doesn't look to the future. The design and engineering are iterative, but the improvements are considerable — and in at least two instances, the truck looks forward to the truly jaw-dropping truck that's just over the horizon: the all-electric F-150, arriving in a few years.

Here's a breakdown of what the new F-150 is really all about:

The all-new, 2021 Ford F-150! The F-150 has been America's best-selling vehicle for 43 years. Ford estimates this it alone contributes $49 billion to US GDP.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

The new truck's design hasn't been radically revised.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

In fact, here's the previous generation. You could be forgiven if you concluded that Ford, sensibly, has messed too much with a pickup that sold nearly 900,000 units in 2019.

Matthew DeBord/Business Insider

In fact, here's the previous generation. You could be forgiven if you concluded that Ford, sensibly, has messed too much with a pickup that sold nearly 900,000 units in 2019.

Of course, nobody can stop talking about the truly radical Tesla Cybertruck, which looks as if it time-traveled from the future. That said, it has four-and-a-half decades of sales to make up for, compared with the F-150. Currently, exactly no Cybertrucks have been delivered.

Tesla

Of course, nobody can stop talking about the truly radical Tesla Cybertruck, which looks as if it time-traveled from the future. That said, it has four-and-a-half decades of sales to make up for, compared with the F-150. Currently, exactly no Cybertrucks have been delivered.

The new F-150 makes no compromises on it familiar capabilities, from 12,000 lbs. of towing capacity to ...

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

... Six different engine options ...

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

... And substantial payload capabilities.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

But in many ways the 2021 F-150 is less a statement about Ford's past then its future.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

Ford has shifted its thinking to all about technology and connectivity, within the framework of what it has always done well.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

Look no farther than the forthcoming Mustang Mach-E, an all-electric crossover that represents the first expansion of the Mustang brand since the mid-1960s.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E. Ford

For starters, Ford has concentrated on maximizing the F-150's talents as the premier working vehicle in the world.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

That meant creating a desk inside the truck, so that the F-150 can truly be a rolling office. (Wi-Fi connectivity also helps!)

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

Ford also added a generator that can run an entire jobsite worth of equipment — or provide enough power to support that tailgating party of one's dreams.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

Ford also enhanced the F-150's tailgate, the "working end" of the truck.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

The new tailgate adds a ruler and compartments to the clamp-points that were already present.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

Ford also improved owners' ability to monitor towing ...

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

... Using in-vehicle screens and cameras.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

On the infotainment and connectivity front, the new F-150 has SYNC4, the latest version of Ford's superb infotainment system. But the F-150 is also capable of communicating with other vehicles on the road and with service providers.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

On the infotainment and connectivity front, the new F-150 has SYNC4, the latest version of Ford's superb infotainment system. But the F-150 is also capable of communicating with other vehicles on the road and with service providers.

AND the new truck adds an engine option that anticipates an all-electric F-150: a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid that adds about 50 horsepower to the most powerful F-150 in the old lineup (the hybrid could yield 500hp and sub-five-second 0-60 time). The range should be impressive: 700 miles.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

AND the new truck adds an engine option that anticipates an all-electric F-150: a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid that adds about 50 horsepower to the most powerful F-150 in the old lineup (the hybrid could yield 500hp and sub-five-second 0-60 time). The range should be impressive: 700 miles.

The new F-150 will also be the first pickup to offer a fully hands-free highway semi-self-driving technology, Ford's CoPilot 360.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

Ford designers have reimagined the more human aspects of the F-150, inside and out, but they didn't do anything crazy with the truck's appearance.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

Thinks of the new F-150 as something of a transitional design. It still gets the job done, but it anticipates an era when the jobs could be very, very different.

The 2021 Ford F-150 Ford

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The new Ford F-150 isn't a massive change from the old pickup truck — but it does show how Ford is thinking about the future

The all-new, 2021 Ford F-150! The F-150 has been America's best-selling vehicle for 43 years. Ford estimates this it alone contributes $49 billion to US GDP.

The new truck's design hasn't been radically revised.

In fact, here's the previous generation. You could be forgiven if you concluded that Ford, sensibly, has messed too much with a pickup that sold nearly 900,000 units in 2019.

Of course, nobody can stop talking about the truly radical Tesla Cybertruck, which looks as if it time-traveled from the future. That said, it has four-and-a-half decades of sales to make up for, compared with the F-150. Currently, exactly no Cybertrucks have been delivered.

The new F-150 makes no compromises on it familiar capabilities, from 12,000 lbs. of towing capacity to ...

... Six different engine options ...

... And substantial payload capabilities.

But in many ways the 2021 F-150 is less a statement about Ford's past then its future.

Ford has shifted its thinking to all about technology and connectivity, within the framework of what it has always done well.

Look no farther than the forthcoming Mustang Mach-E, an all-electric crossover that represents the first expansion of the Mustang brand since the mid-1960s.

For starters, Ford has concentrated on maximizing the F-150's talents as the premier working vehicle in the world.

That meant creating a desk inside the truck, so that the F-150 can truly be a rolling office. (Wi-Fi connectivity also helps!)

Ford also added a generator that can run an entire jobsite worth of equipment — or provide enough power to support that tailgating party of one's dreams.

Ford also enhanced the F-150's tailgate, the "working end" of the truck.

The new tailgate adds a ruler and compartments to the clamp-points that were already present.

Ford also improved owners' ability to monitor towing ...

... Using in-vehicle screens and cameras.

On the infotainment and connectivity front, the new F-150 has SYNC4, the latest version of Ford's superb infotainment system. But the F-150 is also capable of communicating with other vehicles on the road and with service providers.

AND the new truck adds an engine option that anticipates an all-electric F-150: a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid that adds about 50 horsepower to the most powerful F-150 in the old lineup (the hybrid could yield 500hp and sub-five-second 0-60 time). The range should be impressive: 700 miles.

The new F-150 will also be the first pickup to offer a fully hands-free highway semi-self-driving technology, Ford's CoPilot 360.

Ford designers have reimagined the more human aspects of the F-150, inside and out, but they didn't do anything crazy with the truck's appearance.

Thinks of the new F-150 as something of a transitional design. It still gets the job done, but it anticipates an era when the jobs could be very, very different.